Yan Qing naturally had a whole stomach full of things to tell Shi Ting, but with the Yan Family Mansion in chaos, she first needed to help Yan Qi attend to the funeral arrangements.

Once the Military Police Bureau had closed the case, Yan Madam’s body could be returned to the family for burial.

Yan Madam was dressed in burial clothes, her face carefully made up. As she lay in the coffin, apart from a slight bluish-purplish discoloration on her complexion, she looked as though she were simply asleep.

Because the autopsy and investigation had taken some time, after the Yan family conducted a series of rituals, Yan Madam’s body was interred in the Yan family ancestral burial grounds.

From the moment of Yan Madam’s death to her burial, the family had kept the news from Old Master Yan. Every step was carried out in tight secrecy, with quiet but brisk efficiency.

Yan Qi, having learned the truth of the matter, was still somewhat resentful toward Yan Qing, though no longer as cold and cutting as before. He did not refuse the help that Yan Qing and Shi Ting offered.

Yan Qin, for her part, would occasionally try to get in a cutting remark, but with Shi Ting present, she bit her tongue and forced herself not to act out. After all, she still needed to maintain her image of perfection in front of Shi Ting.

That evening, when they returned to Yan Qing’s courtyard, Murong had already prepared hot water.

Having been busy all day without much to eat, the kitchen had prepared some food, and it was brought in just as the two finished bathing.

Since Yan Madam had only just passed away, the Yan family’s meals also centered around vegetarian dishes.

Yan Qing’s hair was still damp. Shi Ting was in the middle of toweling it dry for her when Murong came in carrying the food.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Yan Qing quickly took the towel and tried to dry her own hair.

Murong was long accustomed to the couple’s affectionate ways. She smiled, set down the food, and withdrew, closing the door behind her.

“I don’t think I’ve ever spent the night in your room before,” Shi Ting said, casting an eye around the familiar space.

“You’ve climbed in through the window often enough,” Yan Qing said, thinking back to the moment Shi Ting had first appeared at the back window. Even after all this time, the memory remained vivid.

The first time he had kissed her had been that very moment too — separated by a window frame, his kiss had landed on her lips as lightly as a butterfly.

In the blink of an eye, she had already become his wife, sharing life and death with him, walking such a long road together.

Shi Ting raised an eyebrow. “Did I give you quite a fright back then?”

“I hadn’t expected you to be so bold,” Yan Qing said, tapping the tip of his nose playfully. “Director Shi truly does have a fondness for windows — like this at the Yan family home, and the same at the Wen family home.”

“Let’s eat.” Shi Ting wanted to change the subject, lest he be linked to the image of a scoundrel. “There’s lettuce here, which you like.”

Yan Qing winked at him. “Eating.”

Yan Qing scooped a bowl of rice for Shi Ting and placed it in front of him. “I heard that in Qianguan City, the food is mainly noodle-based. Is that so?”

“Mm. Over there, all three meals are noodle dishes — but they are quite delicious too.”

Knowing that Shi Ting preferred rice, Yan Qing added a little more to his bowl.

When he picked up his chopsticks, she was smiling and watching him.

“Why aren’t you eating? Are you full from just looking at me?” Shi Ting smiled and placed the chopsticks in her hand.

“I feel like it’s been so long since we’ve eaten together. I just wanted to watch you eat.”

Shi Ting picked up a piece of tofu and held it out to her lips. “Eat first. After you’ve eaten, you can look all you like — you can look as much as you want, even without clothes on.”

“Shameless.” Yan Qing gave him a playful scolding and opened her mouth to eat the tofu he had offered.

“Shi Ting, while you were away, I went to Huxi Quarter.” Yan Qing said, looking at him as she ate. “I traced Qian Lan’s origins.”

Shi Ting, startled, set down his bowl of rice. “You traced her origins? How did you get to Huxi Quarter? Did you run into any danger?”

Every bit of Shi Ting’s concern was written plainly on his face, and what he cared most about was whether she had been in danger or been hurt.

“Don’t worry. If I’d run into any real danger, would I be sitting here eating with you so calmly?”

“You promised you wouldn’t make me worry,” Shi Ting said, taking her hand with a furrowed brow. “Even though you’ve come back safe and sound, I’m still worried.”

“I know.” Yan Qing patted his face gently. “I listened to you and went to find Xie Yan. Xie Yan lent me Mu Bai.”

“He lent you Mu Bai?” Shi Ting was somewhat surprised. “Even though Xie Yan has done Mu Bai a great favor, Mu Bai is not just anyone who can be easily moved.”

Shi Ting thought to himself — the reason Xie Yan could lend Mu Bai was because only Mu Bai could best ensure Yan Qing’s safety. He had witnessed firsthand just how formidable that person was.

Forget about Shun Cheng — even looking across the whole country, few could match him. That kind of skill set him apart like something beyond human.

This favor from Xie Yan was one he would need to repay slowly over time.

“You have to promise me first that you won’t be angry, and then I’ll tell you everything.” Yan Qing kneaded his face gently, coaxing him softly. “With Mu Bai there, what is there to fear? And besides Mu Bai, I also ran into an old friend.”

Seeing his inquiring look, Yan Qing answered: “Long Yunxiao.”

“Huxi Quarter borders the Five Families territory. Since Five Families territory belongs to the guild, it’s not surprising you ran into Long Yunxiao.”

“This time, it was largely thanks to Long Yunxiao. His people helped trace the clues along the way.”

Yan Qing then told Shi Ting everything — how Lü Shi had gotten information from Second Master Qian, how she had gone to Huxi Quarter, how an act of standing up for someone had led to an unexpected clue, how she had encountered Long Yunxiao, and how she had ultimately pieced everything together — recounting it all, one detail at a time.

The story was not long in the telling, but it was thrilling to hear, even though Yan Qing had deliberately glossed over some of the more dangerous moments.

“You said you wouldn’t be angry.” The moment Yan Qing finished, she pressed her fingers over Shi Ting’s lips, pouting as she reminded him: “You said you wouldn’t be angry. Didn’t you?”

Shi Ting moved her hand away, looking at her with an expression of complete helplessness.

“That was too reckless. Don’t do anything like that again next time. Wait until I come back first.”

“I know. I promise there won’t be a next time.” Yan Qing snuggled into his embrace of her own accord, nuzzling against his chest. “I was just eager to learn about Qian Lan’s origins. I wanted to understand the connections clearly — to know oneself and know one’s enemy is to win every battle.”

“This time, Long Yunxiao did help quite a bit. Are you going to go pay him a visit to express your thanks?”

Yan Qing lifted her head from within his embrace, her dark eyes blinking. “What is that enormous smell of vinegar I detect? Where is it coming from?”

She sniffed near his mouth. “Sour. Truly sour.”

Before she had even finished her sentence, he had already sealed her unruly little mouth. A domineering, forceful kiss descended, channeling every bit of his emotion into it.

Yan Qing was kissed into a daze. She had no choice but to clutch his lapel tightly. Only when he mercifully released her did she gasp for air like a fish washed ashore.

Shi Ting gave her lips a light bite. “Still sour?”

“It’s gone all the way to my stomach…” Seeing Shi Ting’s smile that hid unmistakable mischief, Yan Qing quickly changed her words: “Not sour. Completely sweet.”

He ruffled her hair helplessly. “Though I’m a little jealous of Long Yunxiao, I am also grateful that he was there protecting you all along. Nothing matters more than your safety.”

Yan Qing held his hand between both of hers, her clear eyes blending with his deep gaze. “You’re not jealous anymore?”

“Is it still smelling sour to you?”

Of course he was still jealous, in truth — but Shi Ting trusted her. Even if the two of them had been alone together, he believed they would have maintained proper decorum. Moreover, he knew Long Yunxiao’s character well enough. Though he was the head of a guild, in certain respects he was a gentleman of refinement.

Yan Qing popped a hawthorn candy into his mouth. “Have a sweet and it’ll turn sweet.”

Shi Ting smiled. “But my Qingqing truly is something — to have dug up everything that happened fourteen years ago.”

“Right.” Yan Qing sat up from his embrace. “The method used to slaughter the entire Lin family is very similar to the one used in the Chen and Xu family massacres. Now that we know Zuo Liang is connected to the Chen and Xu massacres, that further supports the argument that the several mass killings in Huxi Quarter were also very likely carried out by Zuo Liang — after all, every one of those victims was someone Shi Guang wanted eliminated.”

Shi Ting’s eyes darkened as he nodded. “But I don’t believe the Huxi Quarter killings and the Chen and Xu family massacres are the same in nature. The Chen and Xu families had no connection to Qian Lan whatsoever, and the timing is earlier — it shouldn’t have been Shi Guang trying to silence witnesses. But the Huxi Quarter case was purely about eliminating mouths.”

“That is what I thought too. To prove this, I also examined the bodies at the scene, but they were too badly burned. I found no victim whose back was missing skin. I also asked Yang Yongkang — from what he recalls, the Lin family were all simple, honest people who had never left Huxi Quarter. There could be no secrets on their backs.”

“I’ve already had people watching Zuo Liang. I believe this matter is far from over. What secrets the county town that vanished from the land of Jiuyang Village once held — I suppose only Zuo Liang and Shi Guang know.”

“And Qian Lan?”

“Qian Lan has now taken control of the Marshal. I hear that even the old Madam can no longer see him. Qian Lan simply says the Marshal is unwell and needs to rest, and does not allow him to receive visitors. Aside from Qian Lan, neither the people of the Shi family nor those of the Blue Brick Tower have seen him for a long time.”

“Then what about official duties?”

“Every day, people from the Blue Brick Tower send documents to Zhuo Xin Garden, and then Qian Lan passes them on to the Marshal. Whether they truly reach the Marshal is another matter — most likely they all go to Shi Guang’s hands. All the recent decisions have been made by Shi Guang. He has been using the Marshal’s seal to win over allies for himself while simultaneously removing dissidents. Several of my people have already been dismissed from the Blue Brick Tower under the Marshal’s name.”

Yan Qing frowned. “By pulling you away from Shun Cheng, they accomplished two things at once — framing me, and stripping you of your connections. Had you not returned in time, they might have fully succeeded.”

“Now that I’m back, their little performance has run its course,” Shi Ting said, his gaze dimming. “It is time to end this.”

~