After that, Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang settled into the rhythm of their working lives at the two great manors.

Both Xiande Manor and Four-Sides Workshop provided midday meals but no lodging. Workers arrived at the quarter-past of Chen hour when the quarter gates opened, and had to leave before the curfew when the manor gates were locked for the night. At Xiande Manor, even Qiu Bo was not permitted to sleep inside — only old Manor Lord Qiu Wen was exempted. At Four-Sides Workshop, only Zhu’s mother was allowed to stay behind and conduct the evening inventory of the embroidered goods.

The window of time available to Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang for investigation was extremely narrow — at most five full hours per day, minus whatever time their actual work demanded.

Ever since “Mutang” had demonstrated his talent for pattern-drawing, Zhu’s mother came to regard him as the savior destined to revitalize Four-Sides Workshop. Hua Yitang lived up to the expectation: he proposed effective improvements to every step of the process — thread-spinning, weaving, cutting, color-matching, stitching technique — dramatically raising the workshop’s efficiency, product quality, and aesthetic standard.

Hua Yitang’s original plan was to use his skills to establish himself at Four-Sides Workshop and leverage that position to work his way into the management tier, thereby gaining access to the workshop’s core secret — the accounts ledger. But the harder he worked, the worse his situation became. Zhu’s mother seemed to have classified him as a high-value technical specialist and was inclined to keep him lashed to the embroidery workroom at all times.

So it came to this: except during toilet breaks, Hua Yitang could not leave the embroidery women’s line of sight. And since his own appearance was far too radiant and eye-catching, he became the center of attention wherever he went. Keeping a low profile while conducting discreet investigations was a complete fantasy. He had been reduced, entirely and pitifully, to the life of a working drone.

By comparison, the work at Xiande Manor was considerably more relaxed. Lin Sui’an’s assigned duties were simply to take turns with Qiu Laoba and the others sweeping the grounds, chopping firewood, and hauling water. Since Cheng County had been seeing rain almost every single day that month, even watering the plants was unnecessary. She would finish her work in the morning, and the afternoon was free time to wander around with everyone else. The catch was that the permitted wandering area was strictly defined — kitchen, woodshed, storehouse, and training ground only. Every other courtyard was guarded by inner compound sentries, and was entirely inaccessible.

A comfortable working environment with a daily wage of thirty coins — Lin Sui’an almost found herself wanting to stay indefinitely.

Thirty coins was the newcomer rate. The longer one had been at the manor, the higher the pay. Qiu Laoba, for instance, had been there for the better part of a year and now earned fifty coins a day. Among the dozen-odd men who had joined at the same time as him, some received forty coins a day, others forty-five — the variation was small. Rumor had it that the great-grandmother’s younger sister’s son-in-law’s nephew’s cousin’s partner’s nephew of Qiu Laoba was somehow related to Qiu Bo, which was why Qiu Laoba had received special treatment from the start.

After drifting through several uneventful days, Lin Sui’an grew restless and began plotting to use the water-hauling task as a cover, slipping away from the others to explore the restricted courtyards.

The manor’s well was in the outer compound, some distance from the kitchen, and tucked into a dead corner — quite secluded. Based on her observations, it was nearly impossible to see the area around the well from either the woodshed, the kitchen, or the storehouse. This made it the ideal spot to disappear.

Xiande Manor had ten large water vats. Each carry trip held two buckets, meaning dozens of trips were needed to fill them all. Compared to firewood chopping and sweeping, hauling water was by far the most grueling task, and on ordinary days everyone shirked it, leaving it entirely to the honest Qiu Laoba. So when Lin Sui’an volunteered to take over the water-hauling duties, everyone was somewhat taken aback.

Lin Sui’an hauled water for five consecutive days. Everyone was delighted to discover that this young woman could genuinely fill all ten large vats single-handedly within the span of one hour, and they praised her lavishly for her hard work and diligence — especially Qiu Laoba, who was greatly impressed and declared her a natural talent for labor. Gradually, they began to trust her to manage it on her own.

Lin Sui’an had calculated: on a regular day, everyone needed a full hour to finish their assigned tasks before gathering together — but she could fill all ten vats in fifteen minutes at her fastest, leaving herself ample time to slip away and investigate.

On the tenth day since arriving at Xiande Manor, rain was falling in the usual fine, relentless drizzle. Everyone divided into their usual assignments and set to work. Lin Sui’an seized the moment. Moving at extreme speed, she finished hauling the water, stripped off her outer robe — underneath, she had deliberately worn a black garment — and pulled out a black headscarf, wrapping it around her head until only her eyes were visible. Crouching low, she crept along the base of the wall to the corner gate of the outer compound.

The corner gate was right beside the well. Beyond the gate was another covered walkway, different from the one they used every day — this one led deeper into the manor, toward the further inner courtyards.

The corner gate was naturally locked, but it presented no more of an obstacle to Lin Sui’an than a decorative prop. She planted her left foot on the base of the wall, gripped the top of the wall with her right hand, and in one smooth motion vaulted up — just as she was about to spring down to the other side, a shout came from the direction of the kitchen.

“Lady Fang? Lady Fang — where is she?”

It was Qiu Laoba’s voice. Lin Sui’an lurched with fright, and as if by cruel fate, her foot slipped on the thick layer of moss covering the wall’s top — she nearly did the splits sliding off. She flailed to catch her balance, and Qiu Laoba’s booming voice was already heading in her direction, toward the well.

“Lady Fang, Lady Fang — “

Lin Sui’an scrambled down from the wall, yanked off the headscarf, and — no time to change clothes — thought quickly, rolled up her sleeves, and began furiously scrubbing the well with the headscarf as if she’d been at it for some time.

“Lady Fang — there you are —” Qiu Laoba came striding over and stopped short at the sight of what she was doing. “Lady Fang, what are you doing?”

Lin Sui’an snapped the headscarf the way a tea-house attendant would. “There was too much moss growing here — I’m scrubbing it off.”

Qiu Laoba gave her a suspicious look. “I could’ve sworn you were wearing a different outfit this morning.”

Lin Sui’an: “Don’t get me started — I stepped on the moss just now and slipped. Got my clothes completely soaked, so I took them off. I figured I might as well scrub this moss away while I was at it, so nobody else slips. Were you looking for me for something, Big Brother Qiu?”

“What are you doing scrubbing moss at a time like this?!” Qiu Laoba said. “Come with me to the training ground — the inner compound assessment is about to begin.”

Lin Sui’an blinked. “What assessment?”

“Didn’t Qiu Bo mention it?” Qiu Laoba set off at a brisk walk. “Oh — I forgot. You only qualify for the inner compound assessment after half a year at the manor. You’ve only just arrived — no point telling you.”

Excellent. So after all that effort, she turned out to be a temporary worker who still had to endure a six-month probationary period before she’d be considered for a permanent position. An absolute swindle — if they waited another six months, the people of Cheng County would have been bled dry by Dragon God Temple, with not even the marrow left in their bones.

Lin Sui’an cursed inwardly, but said mildly aloud, “Oh my — really, as long as six months?”

Qiu Laoba shrugged. “Six months is a fixed rule. Qiu Bo says it’s the time needed to assess loyalty and character. Not one day less.”

Lin Sui’an clicked her tongue softly, thought for a moment, and quickened her pace to stay close to Qiu Laoba. She lowered her voice. “Is there some kind of reward for making it into the inner compound?”

Qiu Laoba stopped, looked around in all directions, and dropped his voice as well. “I can see you work honestly and live honestly too — so I’ll let you in on some internal information.”

Lin Sui’an nodded enthusiastically. “Big Brother Qiu Eight really is a veteran of the trade — such a generous soul!”

Qiu Laoba looked pleased, rubbing his nose. “Once you’re in the inner compound, you get to carry out important tasks for the Gate Master. Half a year ago, a distant cousin of mine got in. He found great favor with the Gate Master, and they say he went out of county to open a shop — really something, that. The money he sends home every month is more than I earn in half a year. If I could also run a shop, be a manager, save up some money, I could find myself a good wife, raise a few children, heh heh heh —”

Qiu Laoba’s face flushed with radiant excitement, his eyes full of longing for the wife he had yet to meet. Lin Sui’an found it endearing and gave an encouraging nod. “With your martial arts skills, Big Brother Qiu Eight, I’m sure you’ll get what you’re after.”

Qiu Laoba scratched his head in good-humored embarrassment. “Mind you don’t tell the others I said any of this — they’ll laugh at me for only dreaming of a wife and a warm hearthside, no ambition.”

Lin Sui’an suppressed her amusement. “Understood.”

While they were talking, the training ground had come into view.

The dozen-odd temporary workers who had joined at the same time as Qiu Laoba were standing on the covered walkway, rolling up their sleeves in anticipation, ready to make their mark. When they spotted Qiu Laoba and Lin Sui’an, they waved enthusiastically — some cheering Qiu Laoba on, others telling Lin Sui’an not to rush, that her opportunity would surely come in due time. There was quite a good spirit of camaraderie among them.

On the covered walkway to the south of the training ground, a seated writing table had been set up. Qiu Hong, the current Qiu clan master, sat behind it. Qiu Bo stood at his side, and on the other side stood a Dragon God Temple Taoist priest whom Lin Sui’an felt she recognized but couldn’t quite place — possibly someone she had beaten during her nighttime raid on Dragon God Temple.

In front of the walkway, three inner compound guards stood at attention. They wore matching uniforms — a mustard-yellow short-jacket — with identification badges on their chests and straight swords at their hips, their expressions fierce and cold. Lin Sui’an recognized them in an instant: they were the men who had been harassing Little Fish out on the road near Cheng County.

Those farmhands had indeed said they would hand these men over to Xiande Manor to be dealt with by the manor lord — there had originally been five of them; now only three remained. Lin Sui’an immediately understood: these men had come to Xiande Manor of their own accord, seeking to join. But why hadn’t they had to go through the six-month probationary period? Did they have a backer?

“The inner compound assessment will now begin,” Qiu Bo called out in a carrying voice. “Those whose names are called will enter the training ground to compete. You need only land one or two moves on an inner compound guard to pass. You will then be admitted into the inner compound as a full worker.” He paused. “The inner compound wage is ten times the outer compound wage.”

Qiu Laoba and the other temporary workers erupted with excitement.

Lin Sui’an made a show of cheering along, while her eyes swept over the three inner compound guards. Something about them was deeply wrong. The last time she’d seen them, they had been foul-mouthed and boorish, thoroughly crude — but at least still human. Now the three stood rigidly in place, their gazes vacant, their limbs stiff, like corpses that had been ordered to stand through some kind of binding hex.

What made her particularly uneasy was the identification badges on their chests. They read, respectively: “Bing Four,” “Bing Fourteen,” and “Bing Twenty-Four.”

Lin Sui’an found that numbering system deeply ominous.

Qiu Bo: “First up — Qiu Laoba!”

To a roar of encouragement, Qiu Laoba stripped off his outer robe, revealing a torso of solid dark muscle, hefted his wolf-tooth club, and leaped into the training ground. “I am Qiu Laoba — come at me!”

Qiu Hong glanced over with an air of indifference. “Bing Four, you go.”

“Yes, Gate Master.” Bing Four drew his blade with a ringing sound, stepped onto the training ground, and said: “Please.”

Qiu Laoba let out a battle cry and charged at Bing Four with his wolf-tooth club — same as ever, unchanged. His style could be summed up as “charging in with maximum aggression,” its main qualities being “impressive presence” and “loud volume,” with a multitude of openings, no discernible technique, and almost no defensive awareness. His stance was unstable and the heavy wolf-tooth club’s momentum kept threatening to throw him off balance — Lin Sui’an pressed her hand to her forehead. Honestly, after losing to her, he hadn’t developed even a trace of self-awareness.

As expected, Bing Four immediately spotted the opening. He sidestepped, closed the distance sharply, and cracked the hilt of his blade against Qiu Laoba’s elbow. The wolf-tooth club flew from Qiu Laoba’s grip. Bing Four spun and launched a sweeping leg — the exact same sequence of moves Lin Sui’an had used. It looked as though it was about to shatter Qiu Laoba’s shin, and the watching crowd let out a collective gasp. Lin Sui’an couldn’t bear to look, covering her forehead with her hand — but just at that moment, Qiu Laoba suddenly leaped into the air, not only avoiding the sweeping leg, but snatching the wolf-tooth club back mid-flight. He bared his teeth and swung it in a reverse arc at Bing Four’s back. “Take this!”

This move — “Turn Around and Strike the Donkey” — had genuinely caught everyone off guard. Lin Sui’an couldn’t help reassessing Qiu Laoba: so he had learned how to bait people with feints after all.

Including Qiu Laoba himself, the crowd was practically certain of victory, and some had already begun to cheer prematurely. But quick as thought, Bing Four seemed to have eyes in the back of his head — his body flattened and dropped straight to the ground, both palms slapping the earth and launching himself backward in a powerful shove. The man shot backward along the mud, leaving a long smeared trail behind him, then kipped back to his feet — landing squarely behind Qiu Laoba. Qiu Laoba startled and spun to strike again. Bing Four raised his blade to meet the blow. The two clashed in a flurry — one’s wolf-tooth club whistling like a tiger, the other’s straight blade sweeping like a storm — trading over thirty exchanges in a matter of moments, with neither gaining clear advantage.

Lin Sui’an watched with genuine interest, thinking: no wonder Qiu Laoba was wagering his future wife on this fight — it really was a creditable performance. The crowd had been stunned into silence, too absorbed even to cheer.

Qiu Bo leaned over to remind Qiu Hong: “Gate Master, what do you think?”

Qiu Hong gave a nod. “Acceptable.”

Qiu Bo raised his voice. “Qiu Laoba — assessment passed! Stand down, both of you.”

Qiu Laoba was overjoyed. He leaped back two paces and shouted his thanks.

Bing Four slowly lowered his blade and stood staring straight ahead, like a marionette whose strings had gone slack.

The rain suddenly picked up, driven sideways by the wind into the covered walkway, the damp air carrying a musty smell that flooded her nostrils. Lin Sui’an’s brow furrowed slightly. The hair on her arms stood on end all at once.

Bing Fourteen and Bing Twenty-Four, who had been standing still throughout, suddenly moved. They shot forward like two streaks of yellow smoke directly at Qiu Laoba. Qiu Laoba had just come off a hard-fought contest — he was at his most off-guard. Before he could register what was happening, two gleaming straight blades were already slashing toward his neck with murderous force.

I’m done for!

In the space of a lightning flash, Qiu Laoba felt a stabbing pain in the back of both knees. His legs gave way and he buckled to the muddy ground. A simultaneous searing pain in his elbows sent the wolf-tooth club spinning from his hands in a high arc — it knocked both incoming blades off with a clang-clang — and then the club whirled several times in the air before landing cleanly in someone else’s grasp.

Qiu Laoba swiped his eyes clear. In front of him stood a figure in black, spine perfectly straight, holding his wolf-tooth club effortlessly in one hand. The figure turned and smiled back at him. “No need to thank me for the favor. And you can get off your knees.”

“Lady — Lady — Lady Fang?!” Qiu Laoba cried out, wiping his eyes again in disbelief. Only then did he see that the two inner compound guards who had attacked him without warning were already lying on the ground, unconscious. Bing Four stood at a distance, appearing to have seen nothing — no reaction whatsoever.

Qiu Bo collapsed back in his chair with fright. Qiu Hong’s eyes nearly burst from their sockets. He barked at the Taoist priest beside him, “Taoist Xuanqing, what is the meaning of this?!”

The priest appeared thoroughly startled as well. He gaped for a long moment, then pressed his palms together in a salute. “Gate Master Qiu, please remain calm. Allow me to return and consult my senior brother — it is possible that… something has gone wrong.”

He then hurried away.

Qiu Bo finally came back to himself. “Gate Master — shall we continue the assessment?”

“The assessment is suspended for today. Have someone take those men away immediately!” Qiu Hong said angrily.

Qiu Bo hurriedly agreed, calling over another group of inner compound guards to carry the unconscious men away and sort out the mess.

Lin Sui’an watched the direction in which the priest had departed, her brow creasing.

Xuanqing — if she recalled correctly, he should be Shanren Xuanming’s junior apprentice-brother…

“Qiu Laoba, are you all right?!”

“Qiu Laoba, you didn’t get scared stiff, did you?!”

The outer compound temporary workers came rushing over, surrounding Qiu Laoba and fussing over him — slapping his face, pressing his philtrum, the whole lot. Qiu Laoba stared blankly at Lin Sui’an, then suddenly jolted back to himself, shook off the helping hands, and dropped to both knees with a thud. “Lady Fang saved my life. Qiu Laoba pledges from this day forward to serve as an ox or a horse, to go through fire and water, to offer his very life —!”

Lin Sui’an: Hmm?

Bonus scene:

Hua Yitang, sneaking a break in the outhouse, suddenly felt a bone-deep chill. A terrible premonition.