In the most primordial of ages, the creatures that ruled the night and those that ruled the day were not the same kind — but ever since humanity began to dominate the world, neither darkness nor daylight would see that dominion returned to the wild. And within humanity itself, there existed a shared understanding: the evils of the night far outnumbered those of the day.

From this, some drew the conclusion that the night belonged to wickedness.

But when wickedness no longer needed the cover of darkness — when it could be committed in broad daylight, under an open and cloudless sky — that was when a society had truly gone wrong.

—

Young Lord Yang Zhuo struck what he imagined to be a rakish pose, fixed Gonghu Yingying with what he assumed to be a soul-ensnaring gaze, and delivered his three words in a voice laden with mysterious implication: *”…and you too.”*

He probably thought this little performance was quite impressive.

Gonghu Yingying felt like she might be sick. She had no fondness for young men like this — the more affected and theatrical a young man was, the less she liked him — and in truth it was not merely this sort of young man she disliked. She simply did not like young men in general.

She had always felt that compared to middle-aged men, the thinking of young men was insufferably childish. In her estimation, childishness was the first criterion by which she eliminated a man from consideration.

And the performance Yang Zhuo had just put on she considered to be childishness of the most childish kind — as though even if he were a lump of dung, he would be underage dung. A fully grown piece of dung at least knows how to contain its smell, to appear on the surface like a solid, unyielding stone — possessed of something resembling guile.

After Yang Zhuo rose and took his leave, Gonghu Yingying turned to Gang Gang and Chen Dawei and said, “I’ll leave matters in the hands of you two for now. We have two of our people who fell into enemy hands. On the surface, that outfit operates a carriage-and-horse depot, but in truth they are highway bandits. We suffered a serious setback at their hands before.”

She exhaled slowly, gave a brief introduction of Xu Yuanqing, and then her voice began to take on an edge of anger.

“This is my employer.”

She glanced toward Xu Yuanqing, offering no further explanation — the single title of *employer* was all she gave.

She continued: “My employer entrusted the Yongning Tongyuan Carriage Depot to escort his family members to his ancestral home in Yanzhou. Barely thirty li outside the city, the depot’s men turned on them — killing every servant in the retinue, seizing all the valuables, and abducting two of our people. They are now holding them for ransom.”

Chen Dawei was taken aback. “Was that not the young lord just now? For something like this, couldn’t the young lord settle it with a single word?”

Gang Gang nodded. “For a matter like this, with the identity of Prince Yu’s heir, a casual word from him would be more than enough to bring the authorities in. Forget the ordinary authorities — even the military governor would personally see to it.”

“It is not as simple as you think.”

Gonghu Yingying said, “Do you know who the true owner behind the Yongning Tongyuan Carriage Depot is?”

Chen Dawei shook his head. “We have no idea.”

Gonghu Yingying said, “The power behind that depot is a man named Xiahou Zuo. Have you heard that name?”

Chen Dawei and Gang Gang exchanged a glance. Of course they had heard the name Xiahou Zuo — who in Jizhou City hadn’t? The number one profligate son in all of Jizhou.

Gonghu Yingying explained: “The public face of the Yongning Tongyuan Carriage Depot is a man called Li Chi — an orphan by birth, with a master who lived by swindling and deception, so he learned plenty of ruthless and vicious tricks from an early age. Rumor has it he has connections with the rebel forces outside the city as well, not to mention that he is Xiahou Zuo’s sworn brother, which is why he acts without fear or restraint.”

“Xiahou Zuo may not know that his sworn brother has done every manner of evil. He still believes Li Chi to be a man of honor and loyalty. But the complication lies precisely in Xiahou Zuo’s trust of Li Chi — he is convinced that Li Chi is not a bad person.”

Chen Dawei quickly understood. “So the young lord is reluctant to get involved because if Xiahou Zuo were to intervene as well, this would become a quarrel between Prince Yu’s two sons — and from what I’ve heard, Prince Yu is rather fonder of Xiahou Zuo. Is that right?”

Gonghu Yingying nodded. “That is common knowledge. Prince Yu does indeed favor Xiahou Zuo, and so he is more inclined to take his word for things. Li Chi relies on precisely this to act so brazenly — killing people in broad daylight.”

“If the young lord were to intervene directly, Xiahou Zuo would inevitably get involved as well, and in the end, if the young lord failed to rescue anyone, he would only end up being scolded by the prince instead. Think about it — why would the young lord willingly step into something like that? People look out for their own. Every man sweeps the snow from his own doorstep.”

Gonghu Yingying said, “Though our employer managed to secure an audience with the young lord, as you could see, he has no intention of stepping in. So we must still rely on ourselves.”

Chen Dawei said, “What I loathe most is people who con others without any bottom line — anything goes, any trick is fair. That’s a man with no rules and no character.”

Gonghu Yingying’s eyes flickered briefly, and she nodded. “The reputation of you two is something I have long been aware of. The very reason I sought you out is precisely your names for righteousness and loyalty.”

She rose and bowed. “The lives of those two people in our household — we place them entirely in your hands. Please, whatever it takes, lend us your aid. As for the reward — if you find it insufficient, we can increase it.”

At this precise and well-timed moment, Xu Yuanqing asked, “How much did you promise these two heroes in payment?”

Gonghu Yingying replied, “Whether or not they succeed in rescuing the captives, as long as these two are willing to act on our behalf, they will each receive one hundred taels of silver.”

“One hundred taels?”

Xu Yuanqing frowned, and his expression showed unmistakable displeasure.

“Two heroes offer their righteous assistance,” he said with mild irritation, “and you would pay them a mere hundred taels — as though giving alms to beggars. I have told you time and again: money is nothing but an external thing. Loyal and righteous friends are the most precious treasure of all.”

He rose and clasped his fists toward Chen Dawei and Gang Gang. “My people have shown you too little respect. I apologize to you on their behalf. Forgive me, heroes.”

Chen Dawei and Gang Gang hurriedly rose to return the gesture. The two men exchanged yet another glance.

Xu Yuanqing said, “Whether or not the rescue succeeds, each of you will receive five hundred taels of silver simply for agreeing to help — hard coin, not banknotes. If the captives are successfully brought out, each of you will receive an additional five hundred taels of hard coin on top of that. Should either of you fear reprisals and feel unsafe remaining in the city afterward, I can arrange for people to escort you out of Jizhou to lie low for a time. Wherever you choose to go, I will cover all travel and transportation expenses.”

“Agreed!”

Gang Gang immediately nodded. “Since the employer is so generous, we’ll take this job. But don’t be in a rush to hand over the silver just yet — tonight I’ll first try to slip into the carriage depot and scout out the situation. If that doesn’t work, tomorrow I’ll have my brother make a probe.”

Xu Yuanqing said, “That won’t do — what kind of arrangement has no deposit? Though we are all people of our word, rules are rules and must not be broken. You will absolutely take the deposit.”

He looked toward Gonghu Yingying. “Have someone bring the silver.”

Gonghu Yingying rose and left immediately.

Not long afterward, two of Xu Yuanqing’s attendants came in carrying two wooden chests, each containing five hundred taels of silver.

Xu Yuanqing said, “Those two men being held captive — though they are not my own family, they are as dear to me as family. In all these years, I have long ceased to regard them as household servants. So please, I ask you both to give this your utmost.”

Chen Dawei and Gang Gang received the silver, their eyes practically glittering with stars. They offered enthusiastic assurances.

Life had not been kind to either of them. Both of their masters were old men who refused to engage in theft, deception, or trickery — men who had imposed any number of rules upon their apprentices. The masters lived in hardship, and so did they.

As Gang Gang put it: I am the first-in-line heir apparent to the leadership of the Sparrow Sect, and here I am scraping by on day-labor jobs in the city. It is a disgrace to the Sparrow Sect.

Chen Dawei said: Who among us isn’t a first-in-line heir apparent, hm?

The two of them left the tavern with their silver and made their way back along the main street. As they walked, Gang Gang asked Chen Dawei, “Do you believe what they told us?”

Chen Dawei said, “Half and half.”

Gang Gang said, “I don’t even believe half of it.”

Chen Dawei said, “But the pay is good.”

The two of them broke into sheepish grins, thoroughly small-timers at heart — though hardly surprising. When had either of them ever seen so much silver? Not just five hundred taels — they’d never even seen a hundred taels in their lives. That was precisely why they had agreed so readily at the mere mention of a hundred taels in the first place.

Gang Gang murmured to himself, “Even if I don’t believe them, the fact that there are people to rescue — that part at least is real.”

Chen Dawei made a sound of agreement. “Your master said it, and my master said it too — harm a life, go to hell and into a vat of boiling oil. Save a life, and you’ve done more good than building a seven-story pagoda. If we save two people, that’s a fourteen-story pagoda, right?”

Gang Gang said, “Obviously — but what’s a pagoda?”

Chen Dawei shook his head. “Who knows. Must be something good.”

Gang Gang made a sound of agreement. The two of them kept talking as they walked, more or less reassuring themselves — because this was the first time either of them had decided to take a job without telling their masters, and the first time they had dealt with anyone connected to the authorities. It was expressly forbidden by their masters. But the pay had been too much. There was no way to refuse.

Not even a shred of resistance — combined, a thousand taels of silver. Wasn’t that more than enough for those two old men to eat meat and drink wine for the rest of their days?

“We don’t have much ability to speak of…”

Chen Dawei said as he walked. “Both our masters are getting on in years. What if someday they’re gone, and the two of us can’t even afford a thin coffin… and we used to boast we’d give them a grand burial…”

Gang Gang was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “Our masters would understand. We’re saving people. Saving people is never wrong.”

It was not the first time he had said those words — far from it.

Chen Dawei looked at Gang Gang and said, “So tonight you go and scout things out. Be careful. If the Yongning Tongyuan Carriage Depot is as full of hidden tigers as they say, it’ll be dangerous — a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den.”

Gang Gang smiled. “Don’t worry. You know my abilities.”

Chen Dawei made a sound of agreement, was quiet for a moment, then said, “I know why you want to go and scout things out tonight on your own. You’re not going to scout. You want to take a risk and pull those people out yourself.”

Gang Gang was a young man with a boyish face and a somewhat swarthy complexion — the kind of person who looked simple and good-natured at first glance. But in truth, his mind was quite sharp.

Chen Dawei, on the other hand, was fair-skinned and clean-cut, and so appeared at first glance to be the shrewder of the two — but his cunning was not necessarily greater than Gang Gang’s, and in some situations, he was actually slower to react.

Gang Gang stopped walking. He was quiet for a good while, then met Chen Dawei’s eyes directly and said with absolute seriousness: “Your master has only you as a disciple. My master has only me. If we go together and both end up dead, who’s left to see those two old men through to the end? So…”

He smiled, making every effort to appear at ease. “First reason, of course, is because I’m confident — I’m just a little better than you. Second… if something happens to me, don’t take this job anymore. Keep my share of the silver, return yours. My share alone will be enough to keep those two old men fed. It won’t be enough for a grand burial, but it’ll be respectable enough.”

He took a steadying breath and continued: “I’m older than you. I’m your brother.”

Chen Dawei: “By less than one year.”

“That still counts.”

Gang Gang set his wooden chest down into Chen Dawei’s arms, smiled, and said: “Take the silver back with you. Hide it well — don’t let those two old men find it. If… if I haven’t made it back by tomorrow morning, then you can tell them.”

Chen Dawei said, “If tonight you don’t manage to pull it off, do everything you can to get out alive. Tonight is yours — I won’t interfere. If you don’t succeed but you make it out alive, tomorrow I’ll go. And you don’t interfere either.”

He looked at Gang Gang and smiled. “As agreed. At least one of us has to make it back.”

—