In an instant, several voices cried out almost simultaneously:

Zhang Shaoqing: “Who goes there?!”

Ling Zhiyan: “A thief!”

Deputy Minister Lu: “Mother of mercy, have I seen a ghost?!”

Hua Yitang: “It’s Yun Zhong Yue!”

The last syllable of “Yue” came at the same moment Lin Sui’an leapt into motion. All the onlookers saw was that young woman moving with the speed and grace of a sleek, lightning-fast leopard — feet finding purchase in ways no one could quite follow — thud, thud, thud, scrambling up a tree trunk, along its branches, and vaulting onto the rooftop. Tiles cracked and shattered under her feet in a crisp, bright cascade. Her arm swept upward, the ink-green sinister light of the blade surging from its sheath, scattering into thousands upon thousands of flowing streams of starlight as she drove it straight toward the thief with Deputy Minister Lu’s face.

The thief let out a mocking laugh, and his body opened like lotus petals unfolding in water. In an instant he became five shadowy figures, threading, flashing, dodging, leaping, concealing himself through the torrent of blade light — lifting off like a butterfly, drifting down like a feather.

Tonight’s moon was full and enormous, a perfect jade disc. The shadows of the two figures locked in combat were thrown into sharp relief beneath it, robes and loose hair tinged with silver, brilliant light swirling and blade-glow blazing. It was, in truth, a breathtaking sight.

Every person watching was transfixed. These scholars, whose days were spent poring over texts, had never witnessed such raw, genuine combat. Necks craned back, mouths agape, eyes shining, cheeks flushed, they swayed left and right following the exchange of blows, exclaiming in excited cries — one person even improvised a verse on the spot: “The blade turns like rippling jade-green water, the lotus rises on the tips of the waves, most beautiful is the celestial dancer in the moonlight, how many such moments can the mortal world hope to see.”

Ling Zhiyan, who understood enough to know how dangerous the exchange truly was, quietly held his breath for Lin Sui’an. Hua Yitang waved his fan and bellowed loud enough to split the sky: “You dog-food-eating Yun Zhong Yue, have you no shame?! You wore Deputy Minister Lu’s face to steal from Deputy Minister Lu’s own manor! Search the entire world and you will not find a more shameless person than you!”

From within the thousand blades of Qian Jing’s light, Yun Zhong Yue laughed out loud: “I am shameless — what are you going to do about it?”

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Lin Sui’an’s blade wind came at him swift as lightning. There was a ripping sound, and the edge sliced through the “Deputy Minister Lu” human skin mask. Yun Zhong Yue was badly startled. He pressed a hand to the torn face covering and scrambled backward on his feet, somehow wrenching himself away from Lin Sui’an by half a zhang through sheer effort. No matter how viciously Hua Yitang cursed from below, Yun Zhong Yue did not dare allow himself the distraction of a witty retort.

These two are truly too cunning! Yun Zhong Yue thought.

Yun Zhong Yue has gotten craftier! Lin Sui’an thought.

Indeed, spending too long with Ling the Sixth has clearly dulled his ability to curse people. Hua Yitang thought.

Ling Zhiyan: “Lord Zhao Shaoqing, Deputy Minister Lu — this person is the legendary first great thief of the jianghu, Yun Zhong Yue!”

Zhang Shaoqing, so anxious he was sweating through his hat, said: “Deputy Minister Lu, please quickly send people to assist Lin Niangzi in capturing the thief!”

“Hahaha, excellent timing!” Deputy Minister Lu, far from alarmed, broke into a delighted laugh. “Someone — bring out my fish-catching net launcher!”

A dozen or so servants came charging into the garden in a noisy rush, pushing a small cart roughly half the size of an ox cart. It had two wheels and a tall front piece with a long wooden tube mounted at an angle, and on one side there was a handle that worked somewhat like a bellows. The servants locked the cart into position. Deputy Minister Lu gripped the side handle with one hand, raised his thumb in a sighting motion, and called out in a loud, carrying voice, “Lin Niangzi, watch yourself!”

With that, he yanked the handle hard. There was a deep thoom, and a dark mass burst from the tube, shooting high into the air. In the moonlight it snapped open with a crack — an enormous fishing net, cascading down over both combatants.

Lin Sui’an and Yun Zhong Yue were equally horrified. They flew apart in opposite directions — one north, one south — barely escaping. The net dropped squarely between them. Before anyone could react, there was another bang from above, and a second net was launched. This time the two had separated far enough that only Yun Zhong Yue fell within the net’s range. Lin Sui’an was overjoyed. She slashed out three rapid cuts, hammering Yun Zhong Yue further into the net’s center while he was down — it looked, for a moment, as though Yun Zhong Yue was about to be caught. Then suddenly he turned and smiled at Lin Sui’an. Yellow smoke erupted from his collar and cuffs. He curled himself into the billowing cloud, and the net came rushing and rippling down, cutting the yellow smoke into countless small squares. Lin Sui’an sensed trouble. She added another cut — and hit nothing.

The net sagged limply onto the rooftop. The yellow smoke dispersed. There was nothing there. Yun Zhong Yue seemed to have dissolved into smoke and drifted away on the wind. Lin Sui’an jumped onto the net and looked closely. A few tiles were missing, leaving a watermelon-sized hole in the roof. She immediately called out, “Yun Zhong Yue went through into this room — surround it quickly——”

A startled cry suddenly rose from the garden below. A ghost-like shadow darted out from a window crack, slipped into the crowd, and vanished into the darkness among the flower beds. Ling Zhiyan gave chase and searched frantically in every direction, then returned empty-handed, his face dark.

Lin Sui’an clicked her tongue. Hua Yitang was hopping with rage.

Deputy Minister Lu patted his net-launching cart with deep regret. “Too slow — it still needs work.”

Zhang Shaoqing said, exhausted, “Deputy Minister Lu, might you first check what has been stolen from your home?!”

The assembled scholars were wildly excited, gesturing and comparing impressions of what they’d just witnessed. Bai Ruyi had been so startled he’d sobered up completely, and stood staring blankly up at Lin Sui’an bathed in moonlight on the rooftop, his expression unreadable.

In a corner where no one was paying attention, the elaborately dressed Su Yiyun had been forgotten all over again.

Two quarters of an hour later, in Deputy Minister Lu’s study.

“Nothing of monetary value is missing,” said Deputy Minister Lu. “Only a few scrolls of design plans — they’re not worth anything.”

Ling Zhiyan: “What kind of design plans?”

“Old drawings from thirty years ago — various siege weapon designs commonly used in the military, the sort of thing you can find in any marketplace. The manufacturing techniques have been completely overhauled since then and the designs are essentially obsolete. I kept them more as a keepsake than anything else.” Deputy Minister Lu was quite baffled. “Does Yun Zhong Yue have an interest in things like this?”

Lin Sui’an felt certain it wasn’t that simple. She swept her gaze around the study. The books on the shelves were arranged neatly, except for a few cubby sections where the contents had been shuffled about — indicating that Yun Zhong Yue had known exactly what he was looking for: those old design plans.

Hua Yitang: “This Yun Zhong Yue always acts strangely. His theft of those plans must conceal some purpose that cannot bear the light. Deputy Minister Lu, do you have copies of the drawings?”

Deputy Minister Lu considered. “If Hua the Fourth is interested, I can draw them from memory and have them sent to you some other day.”

“My thanks.” Hua Yitang blinked. “Speaking of which — that device that shoots the fishing nets — might it also be possible to——”

“Hahaha, worthy of a son of the Hua Family — you certainly have an eye for things. That thief-catching net launcher is among my finest creations in recent years. Unfortunately it’s not ready yet — still being calibrated. Once I have it working properly, I’ll send you one, no trouble at all.” Deputy Minister Lu rubbed his hands together and looked over at Lin Sui’an. “Was that knife you used just now Qian Jing?”

Lin Sui’an nodded and passed Qian Jing over. Deputy Minister Lu clearly knew Qian Jing was heavier than usual, and reached out to receive it with both hands — but the moment the blade reached him, his expression flickered with undisguised surprise. He glanced at Lin Sui’an. “Lin Niangzi, what extraordinary strength!”

Lin Sui’an: “Why is Deputy Minister Lu so curious about Qian Jing?”

Deputy Minister Lu did not answer. With careful, reverent hands he drew Qian Jing from its sheath and held the blade close to the candlelight, examining it closely. The ink-green of the blade was reflected in his eyes, glowing with a startling intensity — it was unmistakable, a blazing, deep-rooted love welling from the very bottom of his heart. He cried out repeatedly, “What a blade! What a blade!!”

Lin Sui’an grew slightly anxious: I hope this isn’t another person trying to steal my knife.

Deputy Minister Lu laid the blade and the sheath flat and separately on the table. The table was covered with thick white fur — judging by the color, it was not ordinary sheep’s wool or rabbit fur, but more likely fox fur. Qian Jing lay within it, the ink-green blade light making every strand of fur glow.

From the bottom drawer of the bookshelf, Deputy Minister Lu withdrew a wooden box, also lined with the same fur. Inside rested a yellowed rolled scroll. The scroll had no title — only a blank label. Slowly Deputy Minister Lu unrolled it and placed it above Qian Jing.

Everyone’s eyes went wide at once. Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang, most of all, drew sharp, simultaneous breaths.

At the beginning of the scroll was a drawing: a horizontal blade — black hilt, ink-green edge, two chi long, three fingers wide. It was unmistakably Qian Jing.

Below the drawing was a passage:

【On the day of the Red Moon, demonic signs descended upon the world, catastrophe erupted through the boundaries of reality, and heaven and earth fell into darkness. When Heaven’s First Light cracked apart and the stellar energies of the ten directions converged, there was forged the sinister blade Qian Jing, an instrument of suppression and warding. Its blue-green edge washes away all that is sharp and keen; when the ghost-blade opens and the King of the Underworld draws near, ten thousand demons and monsters — all can be purged by it.】

This passage contained everything recorded in both the bamboo slip that Luo Shichuan had given her and the notations in Jiang Dongyi’s spring paintings — it was the most complete record of Qian Jing that Lin Sui’an had encountered so far. The only things missing were the parts about the “Star Master” and “drawing on martial arts to replenish one’s fate.”

Ling Zhiyan: “Deputy Minister Lu, this is——”

“This is a family heirloom text of my Lu clan — so ancient that the author can no longer be identified.” said Deputy Minister Lu. “It came to me thirty years ago. At the time, there were already rumors in the jianghu about Qian Jing, but I never had the fortune to lay eyes on it.”

“‘On the day of the Red Moon, demonic signs descended upon the world, catastrophe erupted through the boundaries of reality, and heaven and earth fell into darkness’ — that speaks of celestial portents,” Hua Yitang said, scanning the text character by character. “‘When Heaven’s First Light cracked apart and the stellar energies of the ten directions converged, there was forged the sinister blade Qian Jing’ — that speaks of the unusual materials used to forge Qian Jing.”

Deputy Minister Lu: “It is almost certainly a sky-stone.”

Most likely a meteorite with a high iron content. Lin Sui’an thought.

Hua Yitang: “‘An instrument of suppression and warding’ — this speaks of Qian Jing’s power to ward off evil.”

Deputy Minister Lu: “This echoes ‘ten thousand demons and monsters — all can be purged by it’ at the end. That must indeed be the meaning.”

Hua Yitang glanced at Lin Sui’an, his eyes curving as he smiled.

Lin Sui’an understood what he meant. She had always considered Qian Jing to be a thing of ill omen, but she could set her mind at ease now.

Qian Jing was not a bringer of misfortune — it was a divine instrument that warded away evil.

“What does this passage mean?” Ling Zhiyan pointed to “its blue-green edge washes away all that is sharp and keen; when the ghost-blade opens and the King of the Underworld draws near.”

Deputy Minister Lu: “After extensive research and cross-referencing, I believe this passage describes the method for tending to Qian Jing.”

Lin Sui’an: “Eh?”

So Qian Jing actually required regular maintenance?

Deputy Minister Lu’s look toward Lin Sui’an had taken on a distinctly disapproving cast. “Could it be that Lin Niangzi has never tended to Qian Jing?”

Lin Sui’an scratched her head sheepishly. “Would wiping it down with lard every now and then count?”

Deputy Minister Lu nearly spat blood. He jabbed a finger at Lin Sui’an, sputtering “you — you — you——” for a long moment before finally raising his voice to call out, “Someone — bring me a jar of Full Jade!”

Full Jade was the most celebrated wine of the Eastern Capital. Lin Sui’an remembered how Old Liu in the merchant convoy on the road to Yangdu had talked about nothing else the entire journey, declaring it the finest wine in the Tang Kingdom. But this jar of Deputy Minister Lu’s Full Jade was a luminous jade-green — swirled into a wine cup, it looked like a piece of emerald melted into liquid. More astonishing still, the jar itself was a miniature version, holding roughly one third of the capacity of the porcelain crocks Fangke used for storing organs.

“That is ten-year-aged Full Jade!” Zhang Shaoqing exclaimed. “I had no idea Deputy Minister Lu had managed to procure such wine — this must have cost——” He swallowed. “How much for a jar?”

“Five gold per jar, and only ten jars sold per year.” Deputy Minister Lu dismissed the question with a wave of his hand and, lifting a wine cup close to Qian Jing’s blade, slowly poured the liquid down.

Zhang Shaoqing was aghast: “Deputy Minister Lu, what on earth are you doing — merciful heavens!”

The jade-green liquid landed on Qian Jing’s blade and not a single drop ran off. The wine seemed to take on a life of its own, transforming into countless fine, luminescent rivulets, trickling slowly along the length of the blade before gradually being absorbed entirely. A layer of eerie green light bloomed across the edge of the blade, accompanied by a low, resonant hum — like a song.

Everyone: !!

Well, well! Lin Sui’an thought wildly: This knife is actually a drunkard!

“This blade must be tended with Full Jade of at least ten years’ aging — ideally once every seven days.” Deputy Minister Lu wore an expression of deep satisfaction as he capped the jar again. “This blade was born from the stellar energies beyond the heavens, and carries an immense weight of killing energy. If it is not tended to in time, the killing energy within will rebound upon its bearer, driving them toward madness. Lin Niangzi must keep this firmly in mind.”

Ling Zhiyan sucked in a breath. Hua Yitang raised his eyebrows. Lin Sui’an’s face fell.

So Qian Jing had been radiating killing energy at full force all this time because it hadn’t had its wine and was throwing a tantrum?!

And it only drank Full Jade at five gold a jar, needing a drink every seven days — the maintenance costs were absolutely astronomical!

Lin Sui’an held out a trembling hand. “Deputy Minister Lu, if you are fond of this blade, perhaps I could sell it to——”

Hua Yitang “slap” — seized Lin Sui’an’s wrist. His smile was radiant as spring blossoms. “It is merely ten-year-aged Full Jade. The Hua Family can well afford it.”

Lin Sui’an glared: I can’t!

“Hahaha, then I am reassured.” Deputy Minister Lu laughed. “If there is anyone in the Tang Kingdom who could afford to keep Qian Jing, it could only be the Hua Family!”

Lin Sui’an: “Wait a moment——”

Hua Yitang: “If I may ask, Deputy Minister Lu — how much does Qian Jing drink in one sitting?”

Deputy Minister Lu: “Three cups is sufficient. That works out to roughly one jar every forty-nine days — not much at all.”

Hua Yitang was delighted. “Very affordable — splendid, splendid.”

Lin Sui’an’s eyes rolled back as she nearly fainted: Five gold every forty-nine days! One gold equals six thousand copper coins — that’s roughly six hundred coins per day! Qian Jing’s daily wine expenses amounted to almost three months of her rent back in Yangdu!

Ling Zhiyan counted on his fingers and went pale.

Zhang Shaoqing nudged him and murmured, “Sixth Brother — that matter you mentioned earlier — perhaps you might… reconsider?”

Ling Zhiyan frowned, glanced at the blade on the table, then looked at Lin Sui’an, and let out an extremely heavy sigh.

Side Story

Qian Jing: Burp. Had my fill.