A breath before the arrow was loosed, Lin Sui’an had already spotted the black-clad assassin concealed behind the ridge of the roof. She had deliberately left him an opening, allowing him to make his escape cleanly. After chasing him for half a street, she found herself, if she was being honest, a little disappointed. The last person she had pursued relentlessly was Yun Zhong Yue — an exceptional specimen among those who made a living by running away. Setting aside that eerily unpredictable Lotus Step technique, the sheer craftiness of his escape routes alone had been enough to give anyone a headache.

But this black-clad figure before her, while capable of leaping and running across rooftops, was noticeably clumsy on his feet — likely on account of his stocky build. He was short in the arms and short in the legs, with a particularly enormous, heavy backside that made his entire body sway and lurch with every step.

At Lin Sui’an’s speed, she could have caught him at any moment. Instead, she deliberately held back, going through the motions of a strenuous pursuit, occasionally calling out things like “Stop right there! Dare you to stop running!” to keep the tension alive. After all, the ultimate goal of “startling the grass to flush out the snake” was not the grass, but the snake. She wanted to see who exactly had gone to such elaborate lengths to spread the rumors of the “ferocious beast Xiangliu.” With any luck, the assassin ahead of her might lead her straight to the source.

And if her luck was extraordinary, the rumor-spreader might even have ties to the true culprit — in which case, she might rescue Zhong Xue in one stroke!

Jin Ruo caught up and grasped her intent at once. Rather than climbing up to the rooftops to chase alongside her, he melted into the flow of people below, even smearing his face with ash from a plant fire as a disguise. The two worked in tandem — Lin Sui’an in plain sight, deliberately widening the gap between herself and the assassin, while Jin Ruo in the shadows quietly narrowed his.

The assassin was no fool. He seemed to start out trying to outrun Lin Sui’an through sheer speed, but then switched tactics, dropping down from the rooftops and plunging into the narrow back alleys of South Market, hoping to use the terrain to throw her off. This suited Lin Sui’an perfectly. She chased him through several alleys, then gradually slowed, and the moment the assassin cut sharply around a corner, she ducked into a lane running in the opposite direction. Jin Ruo in the shadows immediately took over, following behind in complete silence.

Lin Sui’an had full confidence in Jin Ruo’s tracking abilities. She trailed at a distance, and after a few more turns, she had lost sight of him entirely — so she gave up the chase altogether, found her way out through a busier alley, took stock of her surroundings, and walked over to a flatbread stall to buy herself a piece of bread to fill her stomach. Then she took her Qian Jing from her waist and gave it a small shake.

The flatbread vendor looked at her as if she were out of her mind. Lin Sui’an felt a flicker of embarrassment — clearly she had not found the right person — and pulled her robe aside to sit on the stone step at the base of a building by the roadside. No sooner had she settled than a shop assistant from the fried snack stall across the way came running over, bowed to Lin Sui’an, and murmured in a low voice: “Though mountains and rivers stretch endlessly far.”

Lin Sui’an breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “A smile and a bloom cleanse all the mundane world.”

“Greetings to the master of Qian Jing.” The shop assistant pressed his fists together. “What does the master of Qian Jing require?”

Lin Sui’an: “The Young Sect Leader should have news coming through shortly. Keep a close watch.”

The shop assistant nodded several times, then scurried back to his post.

Lin Sui’an chewed her flatbread and surveyed her surroundings, realizing she had been here before. Just one alley over was the Wang Family Food House where they had eaten noodle soup at noon. Sitting here, she could see the second floor of the food house at a distance. Following this alley straight ahead would lead to the inner arch gate of Hong Qiao Quarter.

It was nearly the end of the you hour. The sun had sunk behind the mountains, and twilight was drawing low. Within Hong Qiao Quarter, every establishment had lit its lanterns — red lanterns hanging high in drifting clusters like clouds. An endless stream of carriages flowed through the inner arch gate, carrying inside them — who could say — white-robed poets and scholars, or wealthy merchants of great means, or Persian traders bedecked in gold and silver, all making their way to the night’s revelries.

A peddler carrying a shoulder pole loaded with miscellaneous goods came hurrying out against the flow of people through the inner arch gate, stopped at the alley entrance to wipe his sweat, then shouldered his carrying pole once more and hurried out of the alley, passing right in front of the fried snack stall across the way. The shop assistant suddenly burst into a loud, vigorous pitch: “Roasted chestnuts — piping hot roasted chestnuts, fragrant roasted chestnuts, last batch of the day, selling cheap, selling cheap, miss it today and you’ll regret it for six whole months!”

Lin Sui’an stuffed the last of her flatbread in her mouth, stood up, and dusted off the back of her robe. She walked up to the fried snack stall. “One jin, please.”

The shop assistant neatly packed a large paper bag of roasted chestnuts — at least four or five jin’s worth by the look of it. “Thank you for your patronage. That will be ten wen.”

Lin Sui’an was taken aback, and lowered her voice: “Shouldn’t the information be free?”

“The information is free, naturally. This is for the chestnuts.”

No wonder the Net Sect of the Eastern Capital was so poor. Doing business like highway robbery — it would be a wonder if they ever had any repeat customers.

Lin Sui’an handed over ten wen with great reluctance. The shop assistant presented the bag of chestnuts. Along the inner edge of the paper bag, written in small characters, was a message: [Hao Six’s home — surrounded — come now].

“Please come again, patron! Come back if they taste good!” the shop assistant said cheerfully.

Lin Sui’an had some memory of Hao Six’s place — the last time she had gone to Fan Eight’s establishment, she had passed it in the carriage. It was located on the south side of Hong Qiao Quarter’s main street, some distance yet from Fan Eight’s, and was similarly a large compound. Its gate was flanked by tall pillars hung with a string of red bamboo lanterns bearing the seven characters: “Fine scenery, fine waters, fine winds and moonlight.”

Going by her memory of the location, Lin Sui’an cradled the bag of chestnuts and blended into the stream of people heading into Hong Qiao Quarter. She had initially assumed she would stand out somewhat as a lone woman entering — but the moment she passed through the inner arch gate, she realized how narrow-minded she had been. Among those wandering within the quarter, there were as many women as men. They wore flowing, richly adorned clothing, some on foot, some on horseback, some in carriages. The riders were the most numerous, their veiled riding hoods pushed high on their heads to reveal perfectly composed and painted faces as they rode along the main street, horse whips in hand, utterly unhurried. The men they passed wore expressions of complete indifference, clearly long accustomed to the sight.

As she walked on, Lin Sui’an began to notice something was off. The number of men ahead of her was growing fewer and fewer, and the number of women more and more. By the time she reached the gate of Hao Six’s establishment, there were only women — not a single man in sight. The greeters standing at the entrance were several young, handsome, refined-looking young men.

Lin Sui’an: “…”

Wait, wait, wait — surely this couldn’t be what she was thinking?

“Over here, over here, over here!” Jin Ruo’s head popped out from the shadows of a wall corner, waving her over.

Lin Sui’an glanced awkwardly at her surroundings and slipped over. “He’s really inside?”

“I had both my eyes on him the whole way — watched him climb over the back wall myself,” Jin Ruo said. “Thirty-some brothers posted at every exit. That assassin has definitely not come back out!”

Lin Sui’an: “Then what are we waiting for — let’s go in and take a look around.”

Jin Ruo’s expression was somewhat awkward. “Hao Six’s establishment is no ordinary house of pleasure — it caters exclusively to women. If we walk in, it’ll attract attention and arouse suspicion.”

Lin Sui’an turned for another look. The young men greeting guests at the entrance were immaculately made up, with rosy lips and white teeth and winning smiles. “…What if we disguise ourselves to look like those young men?”

“Those young men have delicate, fair skin. The brothers from our Net Sect are all big and burly and dark as the night,” Jin Ruo muttered. “If it were that Hua fellow, maybe there’d be a chance—”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

The situation was somewhat beyond what she had anticipated. If it were an ordinary compound, she would simply charge in single-handedly and overturn the whole place — but from what she could see, Hao Six’s establishment had at least five courtyards deep, with a countless number of rooms large and small inside, not to mention the various establishments within and the female clientele. It would be a case of searching for a needle in the sea. And if Zhong Xue really was being held there, rescuing her would require double the effort for half the results — worse still, if they accidentally harmed any innocent person, the situation would be even worse.

Under the circumstances, caution was the only path. She needed to slip inside first and assess the situation.

“Have the Net Sect brothers secure every exit. If the assassin from just now appears, capture him at once,” Lin Sui’an said quietly. “I’ll go in and take a look.”

Jin Ruo grabbed her elbow and said in a tone of earnest admonition: “Hold onto your heart, and don’t let any wild flowers lead your eyes astray.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

“Don’t eat anything, don’t drink anything — and if you truly can’t help yourself, just think of that certain flower back at home. Far better-looking than anything you’ll find in there.”

Lin Sui’an very nearly upended the entire bag of roasted chestnuts into Jin Ruo’s mouth.

Since she was going in to investigate, some form of disguise was still necessary — the assassin had already seen her face, after all. Time was short and she had no other options. Lin Sui’an went to a hat and shoe shop nearby and bought a full-face veil to cover her features, then merged with the stream of people heading inside. But she had barely reached the entrance when she was stopped by one of the young greeter men, who asked her for a flower token. Lin Sui’an glanced at the bamboo token held out by a nearby woman — it was exquisitely engraved with botanical designs in fine brushwork, and bore the seal of Hao Six’s establishment, clearly a specially crafted invitation.

Lin Sui’an naturally had no such thing, but she did have something else that would serve the same purpose. She reached to her waist, plucked out a piece, and pressed it into the greeter’s hand.

A gold leaf — a specialty of the Hua Family, full-weight fine gold, gleaming with the dazzling light of wicked extravagance.

The young man’s hand actually trembled a little as he took it. He tilted his head and studied Lin Sui’an, as if trying to peer through the veil to determine the identity of someone so startlingly generous.

“I have just arrived in the Eastern Capital today. I have long heard of Hao Six’s fine reputation, and came specially to have a look. I hope this young gentleman will be so kind as to grant me passage.” Without any change in her expression, Lin Sui’an slipped two more gold leaves into his hand. “A small and trifling thing — consider it a token of greeting, and please do not think it too little.”

The young man’s fingers closed over the gold leaves. Three pieces vanished soundlessly into his sleeve. He smiled. “I will show the lady the way at once. Please come in.”

The power of gold — truly irresistible in all directions. Just look at that — two sentences and a personal guide had materialized at her door.

Lin Sui’an inclined her head. “May I ask how to address this young gentleman?”

“The lady may call me Man Qi.”

Man Qi appeared to be around the same age as Mu Xia, and in terms of looks, he was actually a notch below Mu Xia. His face was thickly powdered, his rouge applied with a sheen of highlight that made his cheeks glow red and bright. He was roughly the same height as Lin Sui’an, but the deliberate way he curved his back made him seem shorter. His steps were light and unhurried, neither fast nor slow. His arms were held out at his sides, his wide sleeves swaying gently as he walked. Lin Sui’an could not quite put her finger on it, but there was something familiar about his gait — she felt she had seen someone else walk that way before.

Hao Six’s establishment was far larger than Lin Sui’an had imagined. Five courtyards deep — the first courtyard served as a welcoming hall, ringed all around by covered walkways, with a grand pavilion at the center supported by eight pillars. The hanging curtains and bamboo blinds were all rolled high. Young men dressed in white and wearing scholar’s headbands sat playing music within the pavilion, the instruments filling the air with sounds Lin Sui’an found difficult to decipher, though the qin played by the figure in the central seat seemed to her to carry a particular depth — presumably priceless. Women gathered in small clusters around the perimeter, some leaning against the red pillars of the walkways, some sitting cross-legged on the ground with their legs out, some whispering quietly among themselves. As the lamps lit up for the evening, a reflecting pool hidden beneath the covered walkways sent soft mist curling into the air, flower shadows swaying, a faint fragrance drifting through. The overall atmosphere was far more refined and tranquil than Fan Eight’s establishment — likely tailored to the tastes of its primary clientele.

Further inside was the inner hall, divided by four ornate doors labeled “Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum.” From here, the guests began to disperse, each section presumably specializing in something different.

“Each garden has its own master. The Plum Garden master excels in poetry, the Orchid Garden master excels in painting, the Bamboo Garden master excels in the qin, and the Chrysanthemum Garden master excels in… the pleasures of wind and moon.” Man Qi invited Lin Sui’an into a small resting pavilion and offered her tea. “Which garden does the lady prefer?”

Poetry, painting, the qin — these she could understand. But what on earth was “pleasures of wind and moon” supposed to mean?

Lin Sui’an asked, tentatively: “This ‘wind and moon’ refers to—”

Through all that thick powder, Man Qi’s face showed no change, but the tips of his ears went red. His eyes shifted with something like flowing water as he murmured very quietly: “The pleasures of wind and moon are boundless — the most beautiful things of the human world — not something to be described to outsiders.”

Lin Sui’an’s entire body broke out in goosebumps from sheer excitement. Her gaze circled the door of the Chrysanthemum Garden several times with barely contained enthusiasm, but she ultimately suppressed the urge and cleared her throat. “Could you tell me something about the masters of each of these four gardens — their appearances and figures?”

A faint flicker of disdain crossed Man Qi’s face. “Hao Six’s establishment is the foremost establishment in the Eastern Capital’s Hong Qiao Quarter. To be admitted here, appearance and figure are secondary — talent, learning, and artistry are paramount. I see that the lady has a distinguished bearing and is surely not the sort of vulgar person who judges only by outward looks—”

“On the contrary, I am entirely vulgar. I care only about appearances.” Lin Sui’an waved her hand repeatedly.

Man Qi choked on his words. “The masters of the four gardens are perhaps not peerless in looks, but they transcend the ordinary in bearing — particularly the master of the Chrysanthemum Garden, whose figure is graceful and supple beyond compare, truly—” He turned his dewy gaze on Lin Sui’an. “In truth, Man Qi feels an immediate kinship with the lady upon first meeting. If the lady would not find it beneath her, Man Qi would be willing to serve at the lady’s feet—”

“I prefer those of more generous proportions — particularly those with a broad waist and ample hindquarters. Might you have such a one?”

Man Qi choked on something and nearly coughed up water. His mouth crumpled. With a deeply aggrieved look, he cast one despairing glance at his own willowy waist and murmured quietly: “How can the lady’s tastes be so unlike everyone else’s?”

Lin Sui’an: “I have long heard that Hao Six’s establishment is a garden of a hundred blooms, each one rare and competing for brilliance. Surely you cannot fail to satisfy even this modest little request of mine?”

Man Qi hesitated for a long moment, then sighed. “Hao Liu has been retired for many years now, and moreover, Liu — Six — never receives female guests.”

In this era, establishments of this kind used the name of their star attraction or madam as their calling card, so it was not difficult to infer that Hao Liu was the proprietor of this place. And from Man Qi’s words, this person’s build sounded rather similar to the assassin from earlier.

“Perfect!” Lin Sui’an was delighted. “I have a particular fondness for that kind of aloof quality. Lead the way at once.”

Man Qi cast another plaintive look at Lin Sui’an. “Would the lady not reconsider giving me a chance?”

Lin Sui’an produced a bulging pouch of gold leaves and tossed it to Man Qi, affecting Hua Yitang’s casual, devil-may-care tone: “Let’s go!”

Man Qi was so dazzled by the gold leaves that even the powder at the corners of his eyes began to flake off. He spun around on his heels, smiling broadly. “Please follow me, lady.”

As it turned out, beside the ornate door of the Chrysanthemum Garden there was another small door, hidden within layers of lush shrubbery and illuminated by an unassuming little lantern that lit the name of the door: Six Garden. Lin Sui’an thought to herself that it was a good thing she had kept her wits about her — she would never have found this hidden location on her own.

Two black-clad attendants stood guard at the door. When they saw Man Qi, they were confused.

“Six — the master — said tonight there is a distinguished guest, and said no other visitors are to be received.” They looked more closely at Lin Sui’an and were even more startled. “And she’s a female guest at that? Man Qi, are you looking to be beaten?!”

Man Qi lowered his head. “This lady has come especially on the strength of the master’s reputation. I beg the two brothers to show generosity—”

“Out of the question, absolutely out of the question! If the master finds out, he’ll have our hides for sure!”

“Ah, well, in that case, let us forget about it then.” Lin Sui’an gave Man Qi a light pat on the shoulder and made as if to leave. Just as the two attendants relaxed their guard, she suddenly sent her veil flying to knock both men unconscious. Man Qi stared with wide eyes, opened his mouth to scream — and was immediately clapped over the mouth by Lin Sui’an’s hand.

“Be a good boy and show me the way. Otherwise—” Lin Sui’an bared her teeth. “Heh heh heh!”

Man Qi nodded furiously. Tears he could not control spilled from his eyes, carving deep furrows through the powder on his cheeks. Lin Sui’an pressed him forward and they stumbled ahead together, passing through the small door.

The scene opened up before them. Yet another quiet, secluded garden: three rooms of main hall built to the east, south, and north, separated in the middle by flower beds and ornamental shrubs. Lights shone in the east and south rooms; the north room was completely dark. Within this garden, no trace of music drifted in from outside. Not a single guest could be seen — as though there were an invisible boundary here that blocked out all sound and life from beyond.

Lin Sui’an felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. Her instincts told her she had found the right place.

She reversed her grip and knocked Man Qi unconscious. Holding her breath and silencing her footsteps, she moved swiftly to the outer wall of the east room and pressed her ear to the window to listen. Though the light was on inside, there was no sound at all. She slipped through the shrubbery and moved to the outside of the south room, crouching down.

This time, she heard voices.

Two men were talking. One voice was relatively deep, as if deliberately held low.

“This thing — can it really give a person… extraordinary talent?”

The other voice was high-pitched, as if a rope had been threaded through the speaker’s throat and pulled taut, stretching the sound thin and sharp.

“The lord is already gifted with extraordinary talent. With this to assist you, you will surely soar to the heights and stand second only to one, above ten thousand.”

“Only this price — might you accommodate just a little?”

“Ah, lord, you are a person destined for great things. Compared to the grand achievement that awaits you, what does this small sum amount to? Nothing at all.”

“Liu — Six — you know my situation. Once I have accomplished great things, I will surely not forget your immense kindness. It is only that everyone faces times of difficulty — I hope you can extend a helping hand and give me a push.”

“Ah, very well, very well then. I happen to have a manual I’ve treasured for many years — study it together with this, and you will achieve twice the result with half the effort.” A silhouette appeared on the window paper, rising and moving before the candlelight. Lin Sui’an’s eyes sharpened — she could see clearly: the shadow had a thick waist and heavy hips. That was unmistakably the assassin from earlier. She immediately launched a kick that sent the door bursting open. “There! I’ve finally caught you!”

The two inside went white with shock. In a flash, a portly figure came rolling at her like a hammer. Lin Sui’an swung a fist without mercy, landing it square in his stomach. There was a heavy thud, and the man dropped to the ground like a great deflating ball, bouncing twice, spitting a mouthful of blood, every fold of flesh on his body going slack.

Lin Sui’an’s gaze snapped to the other person in the room. He was wearing a set of ill-fitting short clothing. His clean, handsome features were contorted beyond recognition by extreme shock.

“Lin — Lin Sui’an, how are you here?!”

Lin Sui’an’s eyes went wide. “Su Yiyun?!”