At the entrance to Cuiwei Town stood a maple poplar tree, its trunk twisted and gnarled, very easy to recognize.

When Chao Qing arrived, Su Jin and Tan Zhaolin were already waiting beneath the poplar tree.

In the quiet and bright spring light of afternoon, she still wore men’s clothing—a blue scholar’s robe as before.

Chao Qing hurried forward. Having just called out “Shiyu,” he abruptly stopped—Su Shiyu should be serving her sentence in Ningzhou. The person before him should be “someone else” now.

Su Jin saw his concern and said: “Still surnamed Su. Single given name, the character Xie.” She glanced at Tan Zhaolin: “This is Zhaolin.”

Tan Zhaolin laughed heartily: “Teacher Chao, this one has heard our young master mention you many times.”

Chao Qing also smiled. Stepping forward to take the traveling pack from Su Jin’s hands, he led her toward the town: “Last year when I heard you were coming, I arranged lodgings for you early on. Who knew I’d wait until this year. The town has few large estates. You’ll stay in the house next to mine. It only has two tile rooms and a woodshed—I’m afraid Guard Tan will have to make do.”

Tan Zhaolin was quite unconcerned: “What’s this? Give this one a straw mat and I can sleep anywhere.”

Cuiwei Town wasn’t that large. From the town entrance to Chao Qing’s house required only two turns through a mulberry field.

Su Jin’s house faced east and was nearly identical to Chao Qing’s. Both houses were surrounded by bamboo fences wound with morning glory vines. It was only the second month—they hadn’t bloomed yet.

Behind the house was a bamboo grove, and beyond the bamboo grove was Cuiwei Mountain.

Chao Qing said: “When the prohibition on Cuiwei Mountain was first lifted, I went up the mountain to look for your old home. Unfortunately, the mountain had been wild too long. Vegetation was dense, and even the paths were gone. I searched several times but never found it.”

Su Jin said: “Never mind you—even I don’t much remember the way back to my old home.”

She had left Shu at only nine years old. Nearly twenty years had passed. The hometown in her memories had all changed appearance.

Chao Qing smiled: “If you don’t remember, searching will help you remember. It’s just that recently there have been wild beasts on the mountain injuring people. Last month someone even had their arm bitten off. If you want to go up the mountain, wait until after the Flower Festival, then call some hunters to go together.”

Mentioning the Flower Festival, his thoughts turned and he added: “Shiyu, in a few days you and Guard Tan should come with me to Pingchuan County for the Flower Festival. It’s lively there. These past few years it’s changed dramatically. On Flower Festival day, the entire county city lights flower lanterns. Peaches and plums bloom along both banks of Pingchuan River—it’s extremely beautiful.”

Su Jin was somewhat surprised: “I remember you didn’t used to like crowds.”

“True.” Chao Qing nodded. Reaching out to push open the bamboo gate, he smiled: “I don’t, but I have a student who is extremely precocious and sensible. Unfortunately his background is pitiful. When the Yangzi River flooded, all his family died. His only remaining relative is a young aunt. Their life is very hard. He doesn’t even have a proper name—just called Mutou. Later his young aunt sent him to my school. I saw his face was like the moon, his eyes like stars, his gaze clear and bright yet understated—like the faint light at the edge of clouds at dawn. So I gave him a courtesy name in advance: Yunxi.”

Su Jin also smiled: “So you’re going to the Flower Festival to take Mu Yunxi.”

She had once lived in Shu. Every year on the twelfth of the second month, Minister Xie would also take her to the Flower Festival.

The folk customs here were more open. On Flower Festival day, occasionally bold young women would light lanterns by the river. After lighting them, they would call out their sweetheart’s name. If the sweetheart responded, it meant he agreed to marry her.

The tile rooms had already been cleaned very well. Even daily necessities and the four treasures of the study were prepared.

Tan Zhaolin, being meticulous as a guard, said he would look around to familiarize himself with the environment. Chao Qing brewed tea and poured Su Jin a cup. Just as he was planning to ask about her circumstances these past years, he suddenly heard someone outside calling: “Teacher Chao, Teacher Chao?”

The voice was soft and pleasant to hear, but carried obvious anxiety.

Chao Qing had already recognized who it was: “Yunxi’s young aunt, Miss Axiang.”

Why had she come at this time?

Su Jin said: “It seems there’s something urgent. You should go quickly and see.”

Chao Qing nodded and went out. Su Jin looked through the door crack. The distance was far—she couldn’t see too clearly, only making out the slender and graceful outline of the person.

Actually, even face to face the two might not recognize each other. Shuxiang and Su Jin had only met once before at the former palace. At that time, Shuxiang was a palace maid beside the Crown Princess. According to rules, she ordinarily couldn’t stare at ministers. And the former palace was full of treacherous undercurrents—Su Jin didn’t have the mind to notice a small palace maid.

Chao Qing went and returned. When he came back, his expression was obviously anxious: “Shiyu, Yunxi hasn’t come home even now. I need to accompany Axiang to search for him.”

Mutou was sensible. He had taught him for three years. For the sun to nearly set without him returning home—this was the first time.

Su Jin nodded: “Alright. If you need my help, just say so.”

She had originally planned to follow Chao Qing directly to search for the person. Thinking again, she herself wasn’t familiar with Cuiwei Town and didn’t know Yunxi. Following to search, Chao Qing would still have to look after her. Moreover, given her current identity, unless necessary, it was inadvisable to show her face in public.

Shu was surrounded by mountains. By dusk, the sky darkened very quickly. The dusky color mixed with mountain mist into a heavy murk. The more distant Cuiwei Mountain was already obscured and unclear.

Su Jin had just finished organizing her traveling pack when outside someone suddenly called again: “Teacher Chao, Teacher Chao!”

It was three men.

The leader wore fine clothes, approximately forty or fifty years old. Behind him followed two in short tight-fitting clothes—they should be attendants.

Perhaps a wealthy household in town.

“Teacher Chao has gone out on business,” Su Jin answered.

Only then did the three see her. They bowed: “This old one is Jiang Jiutong, head of the Jiang residence in town. Why have we never seen you in town before?”

Su Jin said: “This humble one is surnamed Su, single given name Xie. I’m an old friend of Teacher Chao’s and only arrived in Cuiwei Town today.”

Seeing the anxious looks on these three men, with fine beads of sweat on their foreheads, her thoughts stirred. She asked: “May I ask if Master Jiang has children studying under Teacher Chao?”

Jiang Jiutong said hurriedly: “Yes, this old one’s youngest son, Jiang Ci, is studying at Teacher Chao’s school.”

Hearing this, Su Jin knew something had truly happened. However, having just arrived in this town as an outsider, it wasn’t appropriate to inquire carefully about the situation. Setting aside being presumptuous, others might not trust her.

Instead, Jiang Jiutong, seeing her extraordinary bearing and that she was Teacher Chao’s old friend, somehow felt she would have ideas. He took the initiative to explain everything in detail.

It turned out that though Jiang Ci was accustomed to running wild, he always returned home by the hour of shen every day, saying he wanted to learn martial arts from a certain guard in the residence. However, today not only had he not returned, but after the hour of shen passed, the fathers of Da Hu and Er Hu also came to the Jiang residence. Only upon inquiry did they learn all three children were missing. Everyone decided to split up and search. Master Jiang came first to ask Chao Qing.

“We agreed that if we couldn’t find them, we’d meet back here at Teacher Chao’s house. This place is close to Cuiwei Mountain. The children can play wild anywhere—we’re not afraid. We’re only afraid they went up the mountain!”

At this time, Chao Qing and Shuxiang also returned. Coming with them were Tan Zhaolin and the fathers of Da Hu and Er Hu.

Torches were raised to illuminate faces—they immediately went white. No one had found them.

However wild the children were, they couldn’t possibly run wild outside the town. Looking at it this way, most likely they had gone up the mountain.

The father of Da Hu and Er Hu said: “We must hurry and search. The day before yesterday, Er Hu made a fuss with me about wanting to go up the mountain with hunters. I even scolded him once. He seemed unconvinced. The Zhang Wu family’s son just had his arm bitten off by a leopard. What if the children run into one at night? They won’t be able to run away—”

The more he spoke, the more anxious he became. By the end, he actually wanted to go up the mountain alone to search.

Chao Qing blocked him: “The Zhang Wu family are hunters. Three people went up the mountain together and were injured. What good will you alone do?”

Turning to look at Jiang Jiutong: “Master Jiang, we need helpers.”

Jiang Jiutong understood. He instructed an attendant beside him: “Return to the Jiang residence immediately. Summon all the guards in the house.” Then asked another: “Has Guard Nan returned?”

“Not yet. Guard Nan went to Pingchuan County today. He’ll return with the night mulberry carts.”

Jiang Jiutong sighed heavily. This Nan Ting never liked showing his face. In over two years at the Jiang residence, the number of times he went out could be counted on one hand. Why had he gone to Pingchuan County today of all days?

“Then have Yue’er wait at the village entrance. As soon as Guard Nan returns, ask him to come immediately to Teacher Chao’s place.”

After giving instructions, he turned to look at Chao Qing: “Teacher Chao, you are learned. What do you think we should arrange next?”

Chao Qing knew that the more critical the situation, the more one needed to stay calm.

But the four missing children were all his students. His mind truly couldn’t calm down. Moreover, when it came to coordinating the overall situation, Shiyu, who had once held the rank of first-rank Cabinet Minister, was far above him.

“Su Xie, what do you think?”

Su Jin thought for a moment. In Great Sui’s administrative divisions, the lowest level was the county. So-called towns, townships, and villages were actually just designations for convenient management. They had no formal government offices, and so-called town heads, township heads, and village heads were either senior officials dispatched by the county office to manage affairs or clan heads of a lineage. They had no official rank and no qualifications to hire runners.

She took the torch from Chao Qing’s hand, looked up at the mountain, and said: “Since we’re not certain whether the four children really went up Cuiwei Mountain, the search should be divided in two directions.”

“First, summon all the hunters in town, plus the Jiang residence guards, to go up the mountain to search.”

“Second, does anyone have a fast horse?”

Jiang Jiutong said: “This old one’s family has one.”

“Send someone who can ride. Go immediately to Pingchuan County to report to the authorities.”

Who knew that at the words “report to the authorities,” Jiang Jiutong seemed to think of something. His expression turned even paler. His lips moved as if wanting to say something, but thinking of his youngest son Jiang Ci’s safety, he swallowed his words.

Someone asked: “Young Master Su, why report to the authorities?”

Su Jin said: “Besides going up Cuiwei Mountain, there’s another possibility for these four children—they were abducted outside the town. We summon hunters, summon guards, to go search on the mountain. But what if they’re not on the mountain? That’s the first reason.”

“Second, Cuiwei Mountain is vast and towering. The possibility of finding them in one night isn’t nonexistent, but it’s small. Moreover, wild beasts haunt the mountain. Those entering may also encounter danger. Reporting now, the runners can arrive before dawn. First, they can help search. Second, if the four children and those entering the mountain encounter trouble, reinforcements can arrive promptly.”

At these words, everyone felt Su Jin’s considerations were thorough and agreed one after another. Only one person asked: “Young Master Su, the county magistrate is a great personage with a hundred affairs. Here we only have four children missing. If we report, will he really bring the runners to rush here?”

Su Jin was somewhat puzzled: “Four children missing is already not a small matter. Moreover, there’s an eighty percent chance they went up Cuiwei Mountain. Furthermore, whether county officials, prefecture officials, or district officials—officials exist to serve the people. If he’s unwilling to come, then what kind of official is he?”