On the first day of the New Year, the streets were decorated with lanterns everywhere, and every household had pasted new spring couplets on their doors. The street with the morning market was bustling as usual, with buns, steamed bread, and wontons all available for sale. Occasionally there were people strolling leisurely or visiting relatives and friends, all buying breakfast on this street.

A young man wearing a conical hat and dark robe stopped in front of a bun shop and said hoarsely, “Uncle, two baskets of buns.”

“Coming right up!” Upon hearing this, the bun shop owner turned his head to glance at the man, discovering that not only was the brim of his conical hat pressed extremely low, but half his face was also covered with cloth to block the cold wind. However, in this freezing winter weather, wrapping oneself up tightly was nothing unusual, so the owner paid it no mind. He lifted the steamer lid, and white billowing steam instantly rose. With his calloused hands, he quickly picked up the scalding buns and stuffed them into an oiled paper bag.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came from the far end of the street. Four or five soldiers rode their horses charging through from the street entrance, startling pedestrians on both sides who hurriedly scattered. The man also turned slightly to the side, pressing his conical hat even lower. After the soldiers rode far away on their horses, the street-side pedestrians found themselves splattered with mud from the horse hooves and couldn’t help but complain.

The bun shop owner also grumbled, “It’s the New Year—why won’t the government people settle down?”

The owner of a nearby breakfast shop, who was familiar with him, said, “I heard someone died last night. The murderer was a local ruffian from South Third Lane who killed someone for money. The government is searching everywhere for him!”

Upon hearing this, the bun shop owner said contemptuously, “Killing someone during the New Year festival—that ruffian has lost all conscience!” As he spoke, he handed the packed buns to the man beside him, wiped his hands with a cloth and said, “Twenty coins.”

The man seemed to have no interest in their conversation. He took the buns, placed a string of coins on the table, and turned to leave.

The bun shop owner took the money and counted it—not more, not less, exactly twenty copper coins. He craned his neck to look in the direction the man had left, but with people coming and going on the street, the man’s figure was already nowhere to be seen.

The man seemed very familiar with the city’s roads, specifically choosing quiet, deserted lanes. When he encountered ragged vagrants loitering around who found him suspicious and tried to follow him for a few steps, he lost them in those complex yet interconnected lanes with just a few turns.

Arriving at a dwelling that had been abandoned for a long time, he looked left and right to confirm no one was following, then pushed the door open and entered.

Hou Xiao’an heard the movement and looked out through a hole in the window, then hurried out to meet him, “Second Brother!”

Xiao Li removed his conical hat, revealing a somewhat pale yet still handsome face. He handed the buns to him and said, “Take them to share with my mother and the others.”

This house was severely dilapidated. One of the overhead beams was broken, and because no one had lived there for years, the thatched roof also had several large holes. Looking up, one could see the sky through the holes, and the howling cold wind blew in through those openings. Inside was barely warmer than outside.

This was the abandoned dwelling of Hou Xiao’an’s family. Because the location was remote and the house was in disrepair, after everyone in his family died, he couldn’t sell it for much money even if he wanted to, so he kept it as a keepsake. However, without people living in the house to maintain its vitality, over the past few years several walls of the side buildings had already collapsed, and the courtyard and roof were overgrown with weeds. Even beggars wouldn’t choose this place as a hideout. From the outside, this house couldn’t possibly hide anyone.

Since being woken up last night, Hou Xiao’an’s heart had been hanging in suspense until now. He took the buns and asked, “Second Brother, what about you?”

Xiao Li put the conical hat back on and said, “I still have things to do.”

The cellar door covered with a layer of dry grass was suddenly pushed up from below. Xiao Huiniang poked half her body out from the cellar entrance, eyes red as she called to him, “Huan’er!”

Hearing this made Xiao Li’s heart slightly bitter. He raised his head and forced out a smile, pretending nothing was wrong as he called, “Mother.”

Xiao Huiniang asked him with a choked voice, “Where are you going? Where’s A’Yu? What trouble have you gotten into? If it’s about that money from before, we can mortgage the house, and with the money Mother has saved for you over the years, we’ll pay back as much as we can first.”

His several godmothers also poked their heads out from the side, repeatedly saying, “That’s right, A’Huan! We’ve also saved some private money. Although it’s not as much as what you paid to redeem us, it should be enough for an emergency. If you’ve encountered some trouble, we’ll shoulder it together. There’s no obstacle we can’t overcome!”

Upon hearing this, Hou Xiao’an felt all the emotions that had been pent up in his chest surge forth. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and said, “Exactly! I’ve also saved money. My money is Second Brother’s money. Second Brother, just say the word and I’ll go back to get it.”

Xiao Li lowered his head slightly. Fortunately, the wide brim of the conical hat blocked his expression at that moment. After a while, he grinned with his usual roguish manner and said, “It’s not about money. A’Yu is fine too. Don’t worry, everything will be fine after tonight.”

He took one last look at Xiao Huiniang and said, “Mother, I bought the braised meat filling you like for the buns. Eat them while they’re hot.”

After speaking, he adjusted his conical hat and lifted his foot to go out.

The sense of unease in Xiao Huiniang’s heart intensified, and tears instantly flowed out. She called to his back again, “Huan’er!”

This time Xiao Li didn’t turn back.

Hou Xiao’an walked him all the way to the courtyard gate, tears welling in his eyes as he called, “Second Brother…”

Xiao Li paused, raising his palm as if wanting to pat his head as usual. When his hand fell, he hesitated for a moment, instead patting his shoulder, saying, “Take good care of Mother for Second Brother.”

Hou Xiao’an vaguely guessed this matter was related to the private job he’d taken from his employer. He wiped his eyes awkwardly again and agreed, saying, “You and Sister A’Yu both must come back safely.”

Xiao Li was silent for a breath, then patted his shoulder again, saying, “Naturally.”

He closed the door and strode away. Looking up at the sky covered with gray clouds, his dark eyes were torn by the howling cold wind into threads of murderous intent.

Wen Yu’s words from before they split up still echoed in his ears: “Huo Kun is watching the Prefecture Governor’s residence closely. Ordinary people can’t get near. The Han and He families are fighting, and the Xu family won’t miss this opportunity to reap the benefits. I’ll use half the account book as bait to lure the Xu family to take me into the Prefecture Governor’s residence to report this matter, thus avoiding Huo Kun’s eyes and ears.”

“But before the Prefecture Governor mobilizes troops, you must hold back Huo Kun and make him believe the account book and letter are still in your possession. Otherwise, everything will be ruined.”

Both the path behind and the path ahead had already been buried by the raging wind and snow. Slanting snowflakes scraped wet marks across Xiao Li’s face. He raised his finger to pull the cloth higher, covering half his face, pulled out a hidden cleaver from a woodpile, and walked alone into the chaotic wind and snow.

—

“Damn it! That Xiao fellow has a sick mother—where the hell could they hide?”

Several thugs from the gambling den had been following the soldiers searching everywhere since last night. By now, each one was exhausted beyond measure. They squatted in a circle at the corner of the West City morning market street, gnawing on freshly bought flatbread.

One thug glanced at a group of soldiers standing not far away eating breakfast and complained, “What kind of damn New Year is this? On the first day of the New Year, being ordered around by those official masters, running everywhere with them, and we even have to pay for our own breakfast!”

The other thugs also looked over, equally full of resentment, saying, “The gambling den has been sealed off. What else can we do?”

They had been assigned to follow the soldiers to search and identify people. The other brothers from the gambling den were also ordered to stake out at the four city gates. Anyone leaving the city had to be examined by them, and only if they weren’t Xiao Li and his mother would they be allowed to pass.

A younger thug bit into his flatbread and said sullenly, “Brother Xiao just killed Hu Xianbai, right? It was probably even the boss who sent him to do it. Why is the boss now having us follow the government people to catch him?”

The person beside him quickly glanced at the soldiers behind them, then knocked him on the head and said in a lowered voice, “Still calling him Brother Xiao? Don’t want your head anymore? Don’t think just because you’re close with Hou Xiao’an that he’s your brother too!”

The knocked thug covered his head and stopped talking.

The thug who had just spoken looked behind again, then made a gesture for everyone to huddle closer and said, “I heard those soldiers mention something about an account book during their idle chat. It’s probably the boss’s account book that’s still on Xiao Li. The government wants to use this opportunity to catch the boss’s mistakes. The boss is abandoning his pawns to save the king—he has no choice but to sacrifice Xiao Li.”

These words sent chills down the spines of several thugs.

The soldiers across from them finished their breakfast and, seeing them huddled together, shouted, “What are you slacking off for? Get up and continue searching!”

Upon hearing this, the thug who had revealed the secret quickly finished his flatbread in a few bites, stood up and said, “Forget it. No matter how hard or tiring, there’s only the old lanes in the beggar’s nest in the West City left to search. Today the four city gates are heavily guarded. The Xiao mother and son are probably hiding here. Otherwise, can they fly through the sky or burrow through the earth?”

Just as his words fell, suddenly the sound of horse hooves came from the distance.

Several thugs heard the sound and looked, seeing a soldier on horseback pull the reins and shout, “The fugitive is at the South City Gate! Hurry to surround and capture!”

Upon hearing this, the searching soldiers quickly grabbed their sabers and rushed toward the South City Gate.

The thugs stood stunned in place. One of them looked back at the old lanes ahead and muttered, “How is it that just as we searched here, that Xiao fellow appeared?”

—

The lane was narrow. The melting snow mixed with long-accumulated dust and mud was instantly trampled into a muddy mess.

An icicle on the eaves held a water droplet that was about to fall but hadn’t, refracting a faint halo of half the sun’s shadow. Below in the lane, human figures were in chaos, and the shadows of clashing swords were also chaotic.

Soldiers seemed to endlessly pour into this dead-end lane. A pile of people had already fallen on the ground.

Xiao Li tilted his head to dodge a long saber hacking at him, grabbed the opponent’s hand and twisted it with the momentum. Amid the opponent’s screams, he struck the back of his neck with the handle of his cleaver. That person staggered forward and crashed into a group with people rushing in from the lane entrance.

He gripped the blood-dripping cleaver and panted, using cloth strips to wrap the handle more tightly around his hand.

The soldiers had already searched the old lanes area in the West City where Xiao Huiniang and the others were hiding. Xiao Li didn’t dare gamble, so he had to show himself at the South City Gate to draw all the searching soldiers over.

He stared at the soldiers still pouring forward with fierce eyes and sneered coldly, “Han Tangzong sent me to kill that person. He also told me to take the account book. I’m just asking him for hush money. Grievances have perpetrators, debts have debtors. Officer, shouldn’t you be arresting Han Tangzong?”

No one responded.

The soldiers blocking the lane entrance had already witnessed his prowess and no longer rashly advanced. Instead, like surrounding and capturing a fierce beast, they tried to exhaust his stamina.

When the water droplet on the icicle finally fell, the soldiers in the lane also seized the opportunity and raised their sabers to attack Xiao Li again.

The sharp blade sliced through the water droplet, and the cold edge instantly bore straight at his face. Xiao Li raised his cleaver to block it. Metal clashed with metal, producing a piercing sound.

His arm strength was astonishing. Even with his stamina depleted to this degree, he could still use his other arm to brace against the blade’s back, roaring as he forced the attacking minor officer back several steps. He kicked the man into the drainage ditch filled with sewage, then raised his eyes again to look at the soldiers blocking the front. Blood seeped from his temple as he said wildly and arrogantly, “Come on!”

As if he truly were a fierce wolf.

—

Outside the lane.

The Huo family’s personal guards who had come to wait for news saw more wounded soldiers being carried out of the lane. Hearing those roaring shouts, they asked, “Haven’t you captured him yet?”

The minor officer leading the troops was also feeling quite frustrated. He slapped his saber onto the saddle and said, “That punk is extremely slippery. He only carried half the account book on him and threw it out as a bargaining chip. He hid the other half of the account book and what the General wants, claiming he’ll only reveal the hiding place after we prepare a carriage to escort him out of the city.”

He said quite irritably, “We haven’t found what the General wants yet. We must keep him alive.”

The Huo family’s personal guard, upon hearing this, said with some surprise, “His brain works pretty well.”

The minor officer glanced at the sky and moved his elbow rather impatiently, “If this old man weren’t poor at archery, and if mobilizing archers wouldn’t alarm Prefecture Governor Daren over there, how could I let him be arrogant until now?”

The Huo family’s personal guard said, “Just get a bow.”

The minor officer looked at him, suddenly smiled broadly, and slapped his shoulder armor hard, “This old man almost forgot—you people who follow the General are all skilled at both riding and archery!”

—

Prefecture Governor’s residence.

The cold wind carried the sound of firecrackers and also stirred the fine bamboo curtains blocking the wind under the corridor.

Wen Yu glanced at the distant sky, her palm slightly curling. It was already the fifth quarter of the Chen hour.

Last night she had calculated that after coming to the Prefecture Governor’s residence to report this matter and then mobilizing troops, it would take at least until the third quarter of the Si hour.

She didn’t know how things were going on Xiao Li’s side, and could only hope that Huo Kun would be held back by that half of the account book, allowing him to successfully delay until the Prefecture Governor could strike first.

Although she thought this way, her heart already felt somewhat heavy, knowing it was wishful thinking.

“What is your real name?”

His question from before he left echoed in her mind. Wen Yu suddenly felt her chest tighten unbearably, giving rise to some regret.

What had she said then?

She had said, “You’ll know when you come back.”

Could he still come back?

Wen Yu didn’t know.

But as long as his corpse hadn’t yet appeared before her, as long as Yongzhou City hadn’t changed hands, before the dust settled, it was all worth staking everything to fight for.

Madam Xu, holding a hand warmer, was also waiting outside for the Prefecture Governor’s wife to receive her. Blown by this cold wind, she drew her sable fur cloak tighter around her shoulders.

She glanced sideways at the young woman beside her who had changed into her maid’s clothing. Although the other woman wore her hair in a simple bun, she still didn’t resemble a servant in the slightest.

Those calm, water-like eyes, when looking at people, unconsciously made one feel as if they were lower than her by a head.

At this moment, although she was lost in thought, her shoulders were slightly upright with a naturally curved posture that showed no stiffness—actually even more elegant than the bearing in ladies’ paintings.

Madam Xu pondered her background in her heart—able to obtain the Han family’s account books, and using them as leverage to have her bring her to this Prefecture Governor’s residence to meet the Prefecture Governor’s wife.

She calculated privately, thinking to herself that this woman must have some private grievance with the Han family and was seeking the Prefecture Governor’s wife to uphold justice for her.

She would be happy to see the Han family fall, but if this woman rashly asked the Prefecture Governor’s wife for something improper, she herself as the middleman would inevitably also be implicated.

Thinking of this, Madam Xu lowered her voice and said, “I’m cooperating with you sincerely, Miss, and have brought you here. Please don’t bring disaster upon my household.”

Wen Yu came back to herself, suppressed her thoughts, and gazed through the gaps in the bamboo curtain at the servants sweeping in the courtyard. She said gently, “Madam, rest assured. After today, the merchants of Yong City will perhaps look to the Xu family for leadership.”

These words made Madam Xu’s heart skip a beat, but before she could ask more, a maid wearing a golden orange half-sleeved jacket had already lifted the curtain and called, “Madam has just risen. Madam Xu, please come in.”

Madam Xu could only stop her words and enter with Wen Yu. As she passed by the maid, she slipped an exquisitely embroidered purse into the other’s hand. With two curved eyebrows drawn on her plump white face, she smiled warmly, “Thank you for your trouble, Miss.”

The maid accepted the item but still only smiled faintly as she held the curtain for the two to enter.

A heated floor was burning inside the room. As soon as they entered, hot air rushed up. Madam Xu removed her shoulder cloak, and a maid from the inner room came to help take it to dry.

She smiled again and said “thank you.” Since entering the Prefecture Governor’s residence, she seemed to have become like dough, treating everyone with courtesy and always wearing a three-part smile on her face.

Behind the bead curtain, an elegant figure could already be seen behind the rosewood flat-topped desk, holding a burning wooden stick and personally lighting incense in the Boshan censer. She spoke warmly, “I heard you came to the residence early to pay New Year’s respects. How thoughtful.”

Madam Xu quickly smiled and said, “I’m taking advantage of the New Year to come early to Madam’s place to absorb some auspicious energy.”

The Prefecture Governor’s wife knew she had always been good with words. Hearing this, she only smiled faintly and instructed the maids below to give her a seat.

After Madam Xu sat down, she signaled for Wen Yu to step forward carrying the fan placed in a brocade gift box, using this to introduce her to the Prefecture Governor’s wife. She said with a beaming smile, “By chance, I encountered an embroiderer skilled in Su embroidery at the tile market some days ago. Knowing Madam admires Xu Xi’s ‘Jade Hall Peony Painting,’ I specially had her embroider a jade hall peony fan face and barely managed to bring it as a gift for Madam.”

She said “barely managed,” but the jade hall peony by the previous dynasty’s painter Xu Xi was difficult even for others to imitate and capture one or two parts of its floral charm in painting, much less in embroidery.

However, Su embroidery was renowned for its bright colors, nimble stitching, and lifelike subjects.

This piqued the Prefecture Governor’s wife’s interest somewhat. She seemed to say “oh” in surprise, gently shook her hand to extinguish the small flame on the wooden stick, and said, “Bring it for me to see.”

Wen Yu opened the flat gift box slightly and handed it to the maid who came forward.

The maid saw that she actually wore a light veil over her face, and a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes. But since she was Madam Xu’s maid and Madam Xu hadn’t said anything, it wasn’t her place as a servant to comment. She only held the box, parted the bead curtain, and crouched to present it before the Prefecture Governor’s wife.

The Prefecture Governor’s wife lowered her eyes for a casual glance, but when her gaze touched the peony embroidery pattern on the fan face, her eyes fixed upon it.

The veins and texture of the flowers and leaves, the posture and spiritual charm—it was as if it were the authentic ‘Jade Hall Peony Painting’!

She had been holding a cup of tea to drink, but now hastily set it down. Her well-maintained jade fingers caressed the slightly raised texture of the fan face, utterly astonished, “This was truly embroidered?”

Seeing that she liked the fan face, Madam Xu felt more confident and spoke at the right moment, “I thought since it’s a fan face, naturally both sides should have embroidery to look good. It so happened that the embroiderer also knew double-sided Su embroidery, so I had her embroider both sides.”

Upon hearing this, the Prefecture Governor’s wife picked up the peony embroidered fan, but before she could examine the embroidery on the back side, she glimpsed a sheet of letter paper pressed beneath the fan.

She frowned slightly and looked toward Madam Xu and her maid outside the bead curtain. However, Madam Xu still wore a warm smile, and her veil-covered maid, with eyes like ink staining an ice pool, was looking directly at her.

The Prefecture Governor’s wife only felt that this maid’s entire bearing surpassed even many noble ladies. She realized something and, as if understanding, unfolded the letter paper in the box.

After reading it, she couldn’t even hold the brocade box resting on her lap and let it fall to the ground.

“Madam!” The maids below fell into chaos, hurrying to step forward, but Wen Yu lifted the curtain and entered first, using her sleeve to block the letter paper as she supported the Prefecture Governor’s wife.

The Prefecture Governor’s wife’s personal maid had never seen such an impudent servant and was about to rebuke her when she heard her say, “Quickly go invite Prefecture Governor Daren over. Say that Madam suddenly fainted. Also send someone to fetch the residence physician.”

When she said these words, her eyes remained calmly fixed on the Prefecture Governor’s wife, and her hand also gripped the Prefecture Governor’s wife’s suddenly ice-cold soft hand with force.

“How dare you! The item you brought frightened Madam, and you still dare to touch Madam!” The Prefecture Governor’s wife’s personal maid was protective of her mistress and moved to push Wen Yu away.

But she was stopped by the Prefecture Governor’s wife, who leaned against the welcoming pillow, almost unable to breathe. Her beautiful face was deathly pale as she stared blankly at Wen Yu, as if finding something to support her from Wen Yu’s composure. She weakly instructed those below, “Do as she says. Don’t make a fuss. Go summon the Prefecture Governor—just say I’m ill.”

The maids below were stunned, not understanding, “Madam!”

Madam Xu was also startled by this sudden turn of events. In just a moment, her back was soaked with cold sweat. For a time, she didn’t know whether she should quickly distance herself from Wen Yu or say something to stabilize the Prefecture Governor’s wife.

Seeing the maids standing rooted before her without moving, the Prefecture Governor’s wife was already anxious as fire burning, and shouted, “Hurry!”

Her personal maid could only quickly order someone to go invite the Prefecture Governor over, and also sent someone to fetch the residence physician.

Seeing that the Prefecture Governor’s wife seemed to have no intention of blaming Wen Yu, Madam Xu hastened to smooth things over, “Could it be that Madam hasn’t had breakfast after rising this morning and fainted due to insufficient qi and blood? Why not quickly have the kitchen warm a cup of sweet soup?”

The Prefecture Governor’s wife’s maid thought this wasn’t impossible and hastily instructed those below to go to the kitchen for soup, though in her heart she still puzzled over Madam’s attitude toward that maid.

Before she could think further, she heard the Prefecture Governor’s wife say again, “I’m extremely weary and cannot properly receive Madam Xu. Madam Xu, please go to the side hall for some tea and refreshments. I find this maid of yours congenial and wish to keep her to talk with me for a while.”

Madam Xu naturally didn’t dare say anything inappropriate. After repeatedly urging the Prefecture Governor’s wife to rest well, she followed the leading maid out the door, still feeling it was strange.

She had also looked at that fan face—there was no problem with it. How could it frighten the Prefecture Governor’s wife into such a state after looking at it, yet she showed no intention of blaming that woman?

Moreover, that woman just now… was clearly instructing the Prefecture Governor’s wife how to act.

Claiming illness to summon the Yongzhou Prefecture Governor over, and making no fuss—this was clearly to conceal from others and prevent some news from leaking…

Even being invited to the side hall for tea and refreshments was probably a disguised form of detention.

Madam Xu’s heart suddenly jumped in alarm, her carefully manicured nails gripping the hand warmer tightly.

—This clearly looked like something major was happening.

—

In the room, when the Prefecture Governor’s wife’s personal maid withdrew, she still looked at Wen Yu with unease and said, “Madam, this servant will wait just outside the door. If Madam needs anything, just call this servant.”

The Prefecture Governor’s wife nodded lightly, and only then did she close the door and withdraw.

After there was no one else around, the Prefecture Governor’s wife looked at the veiled woman before her, tears in her eyes as she asked, “Miss, where did this letter come from?”

Wen Yu answered, “The He family of the canal transport.”

Hearing this answer, the Prefecture Governor’s wife’s complexion turned several more shades grayer, tears soaking her temples, “My husband is a civil official—how can he fight with those military men?”

Wen Yu gripped her hand tightly and only said, “A military conflict is not a fight between warriors. As long as troops are mobilized and defenses set up one step ahead of Huo Kun, it’s still unknown who will win or lose.”

Hearing these words, the Prefecture Governor’s wife looked at Wen Yu even more blankly, “May I ask who you are, Miss?”

Wen Yu was silent for a breath. Light smoke overflowing from the Boshan censer rose in wisps behind her—a thin thread of smoke like a string, that could scatter with the wind, yet also seemed to have momentum to rise straight to the blue clouds.

She said, “My surname is Wen.”