The moment Yuan Zhen saw the Censorate’s Black Cavalry, he stepped immediately into a shop — without even a glance to see what kind.

As luck would have it, it was a tailor’s shop — precisely the sort of place he’d intended to visit.

He had been about to buy two of the ready-made garments on display, but in the blink of an eye he abandoned the idea.

The Black Cavalry had arrived. Seven or eight chances in ten, they were here for him.

So any detail that could raise suspicion — the Censorate’s people would not overlook it.

He had spent long enough in the Central Plains to understand just how relentless the Censorate was. Those men in black brocade robes were more tenacious than demons, more ferocious than blood-drinking spirits.

Only someone in a hurry would buy ready-made garments. The vast majority of people had their measurements taken and waited for the clothes to be sewn. Ordinary families, who might get only a handful of new garments a year, would never spend so carelessly.

So Yuan Zhen had the tailor take his measurements at length, chatted with him in perfect local dialect, and showed not the slightest inclination to leave quickly — even haggling over the price with patient sincerity.

Leaving the tailor’s shop, Yuan Zhen considered whether he should simply find an inn to stay at.

He reasoned that even the Censorate would not expect him to be right here in Fulou County at this moment. But in the end he didn’t dare take the risk — because it suddenly occurred to him that even if the Censorate hadn’t thought of it, they would conduct a routine sweep that would flush him out of any inn all the same.

Fulou County had suffered its share of wartime devastation, and there were many vacant dwellings — dilapidated, yes, but for Yuan Zhen’s purposes these were ideal. He had spent months in a cave. What was a crumbling house?

He found a busy street stall — crowded places were, paradoxically, safer — and for the first time in months ate a proper hot meal. Yuan Zhen, who had long since grown accustomed to Central Plains food, could barely contain his emotion. But he forced himself to stay calm, to eat without urgency.

It must be said: this man was formidable in every dimension.

After eating, he began drifting through the city with a leisurely air — while in truth hunting for a place to lie low. He even made a deliberate circuit past the county offices to get a look at the Black Cavalry unit.

Inside the county offices, it was Liren who welcomed Ye Xiaoqian, leading him inside and describing the situation in Fulou County.

“Every road junction is staffed, and every village and town under Fulou County’s jurisdiction has been searched more than once.”

Liren said, “We’ve found nothing. My own view is still that this man is hiding on one of the islands.”

Ye Xiaoqian nodded and asked, “General — has the county town itself been searched?”

Liren: “I didn’t think he’d dare come here. But we’ve searched twice all the same, paying special attention to all the inns.”

Ye Xiaoqian turned to one of his junior officers. “Xie Wange — take a team and search again. Split into three groups: one for the inns, one for the entry and exit records at the city gates, and one for vacant dwellings in the city.”

“Yes, sir!”

Junior Officer Xie Wange accepted the order and bowed.

Liren: “You’ve only just arrived. Don’t you want to rest?”

Ye Xiaoqian: “We’ll rest in shifts.”

He kept walking. Liren watched this young Chief Officer and couldn’t help feeling a quiet admiration.

These Censorate people worked with decisive efficiency — and never accepted someone else’s search as sufficient reason not to search again themselves.

He had had almost no prior contact with Censorate personnel. Seeing a Chief Officer-ranked agent for the first time, he was genuinely curious.

He thought: the Censorate people probably don’t trust reports from others completely. They trust only what their own eyes and ears confirm.

Tao Xiaomi looked around, then lowered his voice and said to Ye Xiaoqian, “Sir, I’ll go take a turn outside.”

Ye Xiaoqian gave a quiet sound of assent. “Go. Be careful.”

Tao Xiaomi clasped his fist and left.

The townspeople had seen the large cavalry column enter the city — but that was what they were meant to see. The Censorate’s main unit was in plain sight. Tao Xiaomi’s people were operating in the shadows — they had entered the city earlier, scattered throughout, all in civilian clothes.

This was the difference between the Military Intelligence Division and the Censorate. By now, no one in the realm didn’t know the Censorate existed — which made them too visible. But very few people knew the Military Intelligence Division existed at all. In a certain sense, agents of secrecy understood better how to hide in plain sight among ordinary folk.

At this moment, Tao Xiaomi hadn’t yet begun to think about whether the Military Intelligence Division would eventually be absorbed into the Censorate. But in truth, once the wars of the realm were ended and all powerful enemies had been crushed by the Ning Army, absorption was the inevitable outcome.

Tao Xiaomi walked casually along the streets, his gaze drifting to both sides. When he spotted a tailor’s shop, he stepped inside and made casual conversation with the tailor, who asked if he wanted his measurements taken.

Tao Xiaomi smiled: “No need — I’m leaving on business soon and haven’t time to wait. Let me see if any of your ready-made garments fit.”

The tailor didn’t particularly like this kind of customer — selling a ready-made piece meant he’d have to make another.

Tao Xiaomi added, “I’m out on official business. I won’t short you on silver. I’ll pay double.”

That line brought a few more smiles to the tailor’s face, who quickly fetched what he thought might be suitable.

While pretending to try on a garment, Tao Xiaomi asked idly: “Has anyone else been in to buy ready-made clothing? I have a few colleagues who went out to shop as well — if you have stock, I’ll send them your way. We’re in a hurry and can only buy what’s already made. Come to think of it, we’re heading north — do you have anything warmer?”

The tailor: “I do have some heavier garments — though no padded coats ready-made…”

Tao Xiaomi: “So that means no one else has come in to buy ready-made either? Has anyone come in to order padded coats?”

Tailor: “No, no one recently. Besides, it’s nearly early summer — who orders padded coats now?”

Tao Xiaomi murmured, then took off the garment he’d been trying: “Never mind, it doesn’t suit me. I won’t take it.”

He set the clothes down and left.

The tailor stood there blinking, watching the man walk away as naturally as could be — and silently mouthed a curse.

Coming out of the tailor’s shop, Tao Xiaomi stopped a passing stranger and asked where the next tailor’s shop was.

The man glanced at the shop right beside them, then glanced at Tao Xiaomi.

Tao Xiaomi lowered his voice: “They didn’t have fabric in the right color. I’ll try another place.”

The man gave him directions and went on his way — earning himself, by extension, a few muttered curses from the tailor who’d been watching.

Tao Xiaomi walked on, eyes always moving. He worked his way through every tailor’s shop in the county, and then through the pawnshops — someone on the run like Yuan Zhen might well have something to trade in.

By the end of his circuit, he had succeeded in earning the silent blessings of every tailor in the city.

He had found nothing suspicious. But he himself had become the suspicious one.

He hadn’t anticipated that the local townspeople’s vigilance would be so high. In less than half a day, he had become the subject of suspicion throughout the city. Just as he was heading back to the county offices, he was stopped by a cluster of tailors — who had brought two local constables with them.

“That’s him! Shifty! Suspicious!”

“He visited every tailor’s shop in town but bought nothing — just asked questions.”

They all reported him at once.

Tao Xiaomi acknowledged to himself that he could hardly blame them. He’d managed to offend the entire tailoring industry of Fulou County in the span of a few hours.

He didn’t explain himself publicly. He simply went with the constables back to the county offices, where he revealed his identity. The whole affair made even Ye Xiaoqian laugh.

Liren heard the story and chuckled as well: “The alertness of Fulou County’s citizens is quite commendable.”

Tao Xiaomi smiled ruefully: “I spent a full circuit out there. Found no suspects — became a suspect myself. Still, this means Yuan Zhen probably hasn’t come through the county at all. I covered every tailor, pawnshop, inn, and any other establishment relevant to his escape. Nothing to show for it.”

Ye Xiaoqian nodded. “Tomorrow, then — we head out to the islands.”

And at that very moment, Yuan Zhen, hidden inside an abandoned house, was becoming increasingly uneasy.

He had planned to stay a few days — wait for the tailor to finish his clothes — and then leave. But now he abandoned that plan.

When night fell, Yuan Zhen slipped quietly out of the courtyard. With his level of skill, there were few who could detect him moving. He kept to the shadows along the base of the walls, making his way toward the city wall. He found a corner — the darkest, most angled section — easier to climb.

On a night as black as ink, Yuan Zhen scaled the wall and disappeared into the darkness.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Ye Xiaoqian and his team were already up and preparing to ride for Cloud Isle.

Before they left, Ye Xiaoqian asked: “Have all the vacant dwellings been searched?”

Xie Wange shook his head: “We’re short-handed. We’ve covered most of the city — there’s still a portion we haven’t reached.”

Ye Xiaoqian: “Then stay here with your team and keep searching. You don’t need to come with us to Cloud Isle.”

Xie Wange accepted the order and continued the sweep with his people.

The main group rode toward the coast. Liren had already arranged fishing boats waiting at the shore.

They had just dismounted, about to board, when two Censorate agents came galloping after them.

“Chief Officer! Junior Officer Xie has found signs of someone having taken shelter in an abandoned dwelling in the city.”

“Oh?”

Ye Xiaoqian paused a moment in thought, then looked at Liren. “My apologies, General. The islands will have to wait.”

He gathered his people, mounted up, and rode back toward Fulou County. Liren watched the somewhat enigmatic young Chief Officer go, wondering privately if this was an overreaction.

Signs of someone in an abandoned dwelling were entirely normal — children wandering where they shouldn’t, or a passerby finding an empty courtyard to relieve themselves. These things happened all the time. And yet the Chief Officer had abandoned the trip to the islands over what barely even qualified as a lead.

Liren still believed, seven or eight chances in ten, that the man called Yuan Zhen was still hiding on some island. But since the Censorate’s Chief Officer had turned back, he had no choice but to follow.

Back in the city, at the location, Ye Xiaoqian examined the traces carefully — then leapt up onto the courtyard wall.

He found footprints on the wall’s surface, then looked ahead. “Search over by the city wall. Check the corners carefully.”

Before long, Xie Wange was the first to reach the corner where Yuan Zhen had made his escape. He took a slow breath and began to climb. A moment later he turned back: “There are traces here.”

Ye Xiaoqian turned immediately: “Mount up — out of the city, give chase!”

Everyone was in the saddle at once. The Black Cavalry thundered out through the gates — and the sight of it left Liren momentarily stunned.

—