Gu Pingyuan was suffering terribly even as death approached!

He had rushed his camel caravan back to Shanxi before the Lantern Festival, only to be intercepted by Chen Laizi outside the provincial capital. Upon hearing that Fourth Uncle Chang had been thrown into prison because of his escape beyond the Great Wall, he didn’t want to implicate the Chang family, so he voluntarily followed Chen Laizi to the Taigu County government office to turn himself in.

Chen Laizi was originally a ruffian scoundrel who specialized in bullying good people. He had long coveted Chang Yu’er’s beauty. When arresting Gu Pingyuan earlier, seeing Chang Yu’er showing such concern for him, jealousy surged in his heart. So he tied Gu Pingyuan upside down on horseback, deliberately making him suffer.

The journey from Taiyuan to Taigu was not short. Chen Laizi was extremely vicious, deliberately choosing bumpy, uneven roads to gallop at full speed. Gu Pingyuan was jolted until he was dizzy and disoriented. Additionally, with his face against the horse’s rear, the stench was nauseating. Eventually, he couldn’t suppress the sick feeling in his chest and stomach; he opened his mouth and vomited with a “wa” sound. Once he started, he couldn’t stop, like the ocean turning upside down, almost suffocating. Chen Laizi looked back, smiled with satisfaction, and whipped the horse to jump over a puddle. Gu Pingyuan was heavily jolted, and with the world spinning, he lost consciousness.

“Don’t beat drums, don’t strike gongs, listen to my song of karma. King Chuang forced Emperor Chongzhen to his death, capturing civil and military officials in one net. Those Chuang generals together applying hot irons, gold and silver instantly filling the river. That Wu Sangui, furious with raised hair, driving tigers and chasing wolves into great disaster. Those bandits reluctant to abandon their nest of gold and silver, burdened heavily on horseback with no choice. Those pursuing troops surging like tides along the way, only burying passed in Shanxi. That Li Chuang gone never to return, two men with crutches digging the ground and finding. That vault of gold and silver leaving half, only prison escapees can match. That business established dominating for long, all relying on culture and law with great effort. It’s said to be written by the two masters Lin and Qing, this case is absolutely true, absolutely true!”

In his dazed state, Gu Pingyuan heard someone singing hoarsely, and then felt the horse slow down. He heard Chen Laizi shouting from his horse: “Madman Qiao, get your mad ass out of the way! Drinking horse piss in the middle of the road—if you get trampled to death, I’ll still consider it bad luck!”

After that, he heard a “whap” sound, followed by cries of pain and sounds of someone unable to dodge in time. It seemed Chen Laizi had struck someone with his horsewhip. A companion tried to persuade him: “Forget it, forget it! Why bother with a madman? Getting the prisoner to jail and collecting the reward is what matters. It’s getting late, and the girls at Flower Moon Tower won’t wait—we don’t want all of them to be taken by others, leaving us brothers with nothing.”

“You’re thinking about that flirtatious wench, Old Seven at Flower Moon Tower, aren’t you? Look how anxious you are, jumping around like a monkey. Why don’t you go to Flower Moon Tower first, and I’ll bring the money later to settle the bill.”

Chen Laizi was known for never leaving empty-handed, and would definitely take two-tenths of the reward money. The man naturally wouldn’t agree, and laughed to cover for himself: “I’m not doing it for myself. Old Seven said that these days the house is bringing in fresh goods, a newly-turned sixteen-year-old virgin courtesan, crisp as a fresh radish. Big brother, don’t you want to have a taste?”

“Pah! Look here… unless I had the wealth of Master Wang, you should know that to make a virgin courtesan at Flower Moon Tower, if you don’t put up this much, you’re dreaming!” It wasn’t clear what gesture Chen Laizi made, but the men around him clicked their tongues in amazement.

These men talked more and more crudely. Gu Pingyuan wished not to listen, but with his hands bound, he couldn’t cover his ears. Fortunately, after traveling a short distance, amidst the laughter, Chen Laizi pulled on his reins. Gu Pingyuan heard these men dismount one by one. Someone walked up and cut the ropes binding him, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

Gu Pingyuan hadn’t eaten or drunk anything on the journey, and now his legs were weak, but he gritted his teeth and stood up defiantly. His face was still covered with a blindfold, and his hands were tied behind his back. He felt someone push him, and as he steadied himself, he said, “Wait!”

“Oh?” Chen Laizi came close, with a mocking smile: “Does Master Gu have something to say? Say it quickly—once you enter the government office and the execution blade falls, you’ll have to wait until your next life to speak again.”

Gu Pingyuan laughed coldly: “Since we’ve arrived at the government office, call the bailiffs to loosen my bonds and replace them with proper restraints.”

Chen Laizi had thought Gu Pingyuan was going to beg for mercy and had prepared to humiliate him further, but he didn’t expect such a request. He was momentarily stunned and asked with raised eyebrows: “Why?”

“There’s certainly a reason, but it’s not something I can explain to someone like you. Call the bailiffs!”

Chen Laizi already felt inferior in front of the handsome and refined Gu Pingyuan, and these proud, unyielding words angered him greatly. He took the whip from his saddle ring, turned around, and struck Gu Pingyuan fiercely.

“I’ll make you call for bailiffs, I’ll make you call for bailiffs…” Chen Laizi showed no mercy in his strikes. Gu Pingyuan was wearing a wolf-skin robe he had bought in Mongolia. Wolf skin is tough, and with the Mongolians’ excellent tanning craftsmanship, the whip left no visible damage on the outside, but the pain was not reduced at all. Gu Pingyuan had already put life and death behind him; his body burned with pain, but he didn’t retreat at all. Instead, he shouted loudly: “Are there any officials here? Come out! Illegal torture at the government office entrance—is there no one to intervene?”

Chen Laizi became even more furious. He kicked Gu Pingyuan to the ground, then prepared to strike again. The others had been watching with smiles at first, but now seeing Chen Laizi’s ferocious expression with bloodshot eyes, they knew this was going too far. They were also afraid that if Gu Pingyuan was seriously injured, they couldn’t complete their task, and their promised silver would become an illusion. So they quickly rushed over—some grabbing his arms, others his legs—and with great difficulty restrained Chen Laizi.

Someone came over to help Gu Pingyuan up. These men only wanted to collect their money and be done with it, not create additional problems. So they complained: “Why are you making things difficult? Getting beaten for no reason—do you think heavy cangues are more comfortable than ropes? You’re really asking for trouble!”

“That’s not the point!” Gu Pingyuan suddenly exerted force and shook off the person, shouting loudly: “I have violated national law and should naturally be subject to official punishment. Whether it’s heavy cangues or finger vices, they are all instruments of torture clearly stated in the Qing Dynasty legal code. I accept them willingly, but I cannot be subjected to illegal private punishment. A true man can be killed but not humiliated! Small-minded people like you couldn’t understand this principle.”

Only then did they realize—so that was it! But Gu Pingyuan truly hadn’t yielded to these ruffians and scoundrels. In their view, there was no difference between national law and private punishment, and they thought Gu Pingyuan had lost his mind. Without further discussion, they pushed and shoved Gu Pingyuan into a courtyard inside the government office.

Blindfolded, Gu Pingyuan stumbled along, pushed all the way through several doors. Suddenly, a thought struck him: All public halls throughout the empire followed the imperial regulations—dismounting from horses or sedan chairs before the yamen, then climbing the nine steps symbolizing the nine levels of heaven, passing through the main gate, around the spirit screen and the Xuanhua Arch, and ascending to the main hall’s platform. Arrested criminals would kneel there awaiting trial. Yet he had walked all this way without obstruction. Moreover, the county office was the official residence of the county magistrate, the most solemn place of law within the county. It shouldn’t be possible for Chen Laizi to escort him in and out so freely without anyone even questioning them.

While Gu Pingyuan was puzzled, he heard the door hinges creak. His foot stumbled, and he felt as if he had entered a room. The person holding his arm from behind released him, footsteps retreated, and the door was immediately shut tight.

Gu Pingyuan stood in the middle of the room. Although blindfolded and bound, he held his head high. He had already prepared for the worst—death was just death. But before dying, he needed to exonerate Fourth Uncle Chang’s family, then expose Wang Tiangui’s despicable actions in scheming for other people’s houses, and finally accept the execution blade—at least he could walk the path to the underworld with satisfaction. His thoughts were clear, and the more he thought, the more his blood boiled. But after waiting for a long time with no movement, he couldn’t help but become puzzled.

It was now the coldest time of winter, yet the place where Gu Pingyuan stood was as warm as spring. Listening carefully, he could hear the occasional crackling of burning wood. This clearly indicated that this was definitely not the main hall, but where was it? Gu Pingyuan’s suspicions grew, and just as he was about to ask, he suddenly felt uncertain how to begin. At that moment, he sensed someone quietly stepping in front of him.

A waft of rouge fragrance came toward him—it was a woman!

Gu Pingyuan was startled and involuntarily stepped back half a step. However, the person in front of him showed no restraint and, seemingly afraid he might fall, actually reached out to steady him.

Gu Pingyuan had to ask: “Who are you?”

He heard a light laugh, and the person raised a hand to gently remove his blindfold. He had been wearing the blindfold for so long that when he first opened his eyes, the bright candlelight dazzled him, making everything appear white and indistinct. After a while, he could finally see clearly what was before him.

This was a large room, with carved flower tables on woolen carpets, and cinnabar pots growing chrysanthemums, all arranged with extreme luxury and splendor. There was no one else in the room, only a woman of both beauty and charm standing before Gu Pingyuan, less than two feet away, smiling. They were standing almost body to body. Looking more carefully, Gu Pingyuan was even more surprised. This woman had a face like a lotus, eyebrows like distant mountains, lips like cherries—being a beauty was one thing, but what was extraordinary was her unusual dress and appearance. Perhaps relying on the warmth of the room, she wore an extremely thin gold-threaded jacket, with sleeves rolled up twice, revealing arms like lotus roots. On her wrist was a jade bracelet. The yuanbao collar wasn’t buttoned, revealing a patch of snow-white skin, with hidden valleys drawing one’s gaze.

Gu Pingyuan was stunned. He was a gentleman who observed propriety and had been taught since childhood “not to do wrong even in darkness.” In the regions beyond the Wall, there were many prostitutes in Shangyang Fort doing business with convicts. Like a net spread, no prisoner who had saved some copper coins didn’t go to those low places to release tension with girls. Even honest men like Kou Liancai had a favorite prostitute called “Mo’er.”

Only Gu Pingyuan was an exception.

On one hand, he nursed a hidden pain, occasionally thinking of his childhood sweetheart back home. On the other hand, his teacher was a righteous person who, when lecturing on history books about Song Emperor Huizong’s wanton pursuit of courtesans and competing with his officials for women—even with a poem “Slender Fingers Breaking a Fresh Orange” spreading through the ages—showed a face full of disgust. “A ruler who lost his country” was declared with iron determination, which Gu Pingyuan remembered clearly. So while others went to brothels, he did not; while others found lovers, only he could keep himself pure.

However, Gu Pingyuan was not like Tang Sanzang in “Journey to the West,” carefully guarding his yang essence through ten lifetimes of cultivation. He had experienced an unusual encounter beyond the Wall, having spent a night of pleasure with a woman who matched him well, tasting the sweetness of male-female love and knowing the wonder of passionate lovemaking. But during these past six months of weariness and dusty travels, he had never spared thought for such things.

Now, at this moment of life and death, a charming and beautiful woman was alone with him in a room, with such alluring beauty. How could Gu Pingyuan not be puzzled? Although this woman didn’t seem like a respectable housewife, he couldn’t make rash assumptions. With his life hanging in the balance, he absolutely couldn’t do anything to harm a woman’s reputation before his death.

So he hurriedly stepped back again, almost pressing his back against the door. If his hands weren’t still tied behind him, he would have pulled the door open and left.

Seeing Gu Pingyuan so flustered, the woman burst into laughter and pointed at him with a slender jade finger: “What’s the matter? Am I more frightening than the ghosts in the Black Water Marsh, to scare a great hero like you into such a state?” Her voice was soft and gentle, full of tender meaning. Although she sang in the northern style, it rivaled the language of southern swallows.

Gu Pingyuan was merely caught off guard. Hearing her mention the Black Water Marsh, he instantly became three parts calmer and looked the woman up and down again. She didn’t avoid his gaze but rather took a deep breath and met his eyes.

For a moment, neither spoke, and the atmosphere in the room became somewhat ambiguous and strange. In the end, it was Gu Pingyuan, with countless questions in his mind, who broke the awkward silence: “Miss, may I ask where this place is? Could it be that this is not the Taigu County office?”

The woman looked into his eyes and said with a slightly reproachful tone: “How can you value places over people?”

Gu Pingyuan asked in surprise: “What do you mean by that?”

“You don’t know me, and you don’t recognize this place. Yet when you speak, you only ask about the place and not the person. Am I, a living person, not as important as this square room?”

“Oh…” Gu Pingyuan was momentarily at a loss for words. He thought to himself, I could be facing execution at any moment, and I’m not here for leisure. Of course I need to understand where I am and assess the situation first. However, he also knew that arguing with a stranger would lead nowhere, so he changed his expression and asked again: “I was thoughtless, please forgive me. May I ask which family’s young lady you are? How do you come to be alone in a room with a prisoner like me? Where exactly is this place?”

“Now that’s an interesting question.” The woman finally smiled, took a couple of steps toward Gu Pingyuan, and suddenly extended both hands, embracing his waist.

Gu Pingyuan was startled and moved back to avoid her: “Miss, what are you…?”

She laughed again: “You’ve asked so many questions, but do you intend to keep your hands tied while conversing with me? Let me help you untie the rope, and then we can talk.”

So that was it. Gu Pingyuan first breathed a sigh of relief, but this woman was peculiar. Rather than letting Gu Pingyuan turn his back to her to untie the rope, she stood close to him, sometimes touching, sometimes not, pressing her plump chest against him from time to time. Her hands, soft as if boneless, seemed to be untying the rope but also appeared to be massaging and warming his hands. One knot took forever to untie. She seemed to tire, resting her pointed chin on Gu Pingyuan’s shoulder, breathing fragrant breath as she murmured: “These heartless men, who would tie someone up so tightly? Are their hearts made of iron?”

Whether others’ hearts were made of iron, Gu Pingyuan didn’t know, but his own heart was about to leap out of his chest. The woman’s sweet voice, soft body, the fragrance emanating from her yuanbao collar, and the glimpse of rounded curves all directly targeted the most primitive desires in the heart. Gu Pingyuan tried his best to control himself, but his body wouldn’t listen. The woman was pressed against Gu Pingyuan and seemed to notice his reaction, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.

“Oh my, it’s untied! It was truly difficult—my hands are sore.” The woman coquettishly complained, stretching her hands in front of Gu Pingyuan. “Look, all for you—they’re red, aren’t they?”

In fact, Gu Pingyuan’s own hands had been left with deep grooves, red, swollen, and painful. But at this moment, he didn’t pay much attention to that. Regardless, it was this woman before him who had freed him from his bonds. He performed a deep bow and expressed his thanks.

Ordinarily, when Gu Pingyuan bowed with clasped hands, the woman should have stepped aside. But this woman’s actions were all beyond expectation—instead of retreating, she advanced. As Gu Pingyuan bowed down, he nearly touched her protruding bosom. He quickly straightened up. Having been startled several times, he felt that this woman was definitely not one who observed propriety, and it would be better to keep a respectful distance. So he walked a few steps diagonally, increasing the distance between them.

“My name is Ruyi,” the woman suddenly said.

“…”

“I said my childhood name is Ruyi.” Seeing Gu Pingyuan staring at her in a daze, she repeated.

“Yes, yes,” Gu Pingyuan responded twice, but in his heart, he was even more confused. What woman would tell a stranger her childhood name upon first meeting? A woman’s childhood name was traditionally kept within the boudoir. Some shy women wouldn’t even easily tell their husbands.

There was a widely circulated poem called “A Beauty’s Childhood Name”: “Loving husband and wife in youth, whispering quietly and softly. When asked about her childhood name, she’s always vague, about to tell but then smiling instead. Being pestered until she can’t refuse, ‘I’ll tell you, but you must remember. Never tell it to others, and don’t call me by it in front of people!'”

Even husbands couldn’t call their wives’ childhood names in public, yet this “Ruyi” easily told hers to him. Earlier, she had also been so ambiguous and intimate with him—there must be some reason for this. Gu Pingyuan originally had a clear mind; he had planned everything he wanted to say when entering the county office, waiting to explain everything in the main hall. Now, however, Ruyi’s unexpected appearance had left him completely confused.

Before he could decide what to do, Ruyi had already gracefully walked to a marble round table in the center of the room. “Master Gu, please come and sit. Let me explain everything in detail.”

Gu Pingyuan hesitated, then walked over and sat across from Ruyi. The table was about ten feet in circumference. Ruyi saw that Gu Pingyuan had an attitude of keeping her at a distance, but she wasn’t angry at all.

“It’s boring for two people to sit idly. Master Gu, you’ve had a tiring journey and must be hungry. I’ve prepared some modest wine and dishes—please don’t find them inadequate.” With that, Ruyi gently clapped her hands, and the door immediately opened. Gu Pingyuan turned to look and saw two girls dressed as maids, apparently waiting outside the door. Upon hearing the summons, they brought in plate after plate of fine wine and delicious food. With each dish served, Ruyi smiled and announced its name to Gu Pingyuan.

Ruyi was absolutely right—Gu Pingyuan hadn’t eaten or drunk anything on the journey and had vomited several times. Now his stomach was completely empty, burning with hunger. Never mind wine and dishes—even if it were a frozen steamed bun in the snow, he could bite off half in one mouthful. Moreover, what Ruyi had ordered was by no means “modest wine and simple dishes.”

The table for two was soon filled with eight hot dishes, four cold dishes, and four fruit plates: “Vinegar Pepper Fish Balls” with a sweet and sour appetite-opening flavor; “Phoenix Leg Carp” with a pure, rich saltiness; “Sugar-Braised Pork Knuckle” soft and glutinous; “Nine-Flavor White Meat” with strong garlic fragrance; “Willow Leaf Duck Strips” with a refreshing aroma; “Chestnut Braised Yellow Chicken” fresh and mellow; “Hot Oil Cucumber” spicy and crisp; “Three-Color Stir-Fry” fragrant and crunchy… Every dish made one’s mouth water. In the middle was a large bowl that was particularly remarkable. Inside was the so-called “Five Immortals Soup,” containing sea cucumber, abalone, shark fin, dried scallops, and crab roe—five kinds of seafood. Steam rolled and the aroma filled the nostrils. Ruyi explained that the broth was made with snow water from Mount Wutai, and the flavor was enhanced with premium Xuanwei ham from Yunnan. Shanxi was located in the central plains, and finding these five seafood ingredients to make soup was extremely rare.

The wine was excellent too—once the mud seal was opened, the fragrant aroma of the fermentation hit the nose. It was top-quality ten-year-old Fen liquor. Having been tricked by Zhang Guangfa before, how could Gu Pingyuan dare to touch it with his lips in this situation? He didn’t even want to eat the food, but his internal organs rebelled. Facing the dazzling array of delicious dishes before him, he gritted his teeth and resisted, only to find his vision blurring, and he couldn’t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Ruyi watched quietly, her eyes carrying a hint of mockery. She suddenly asked: “Master Gu, with so many dishes, you haven’t touched a single one. Could it be they’re not to your liking? I can have the servants prepare another table.”

How could they not be to his liking? Gu Pingyuan laughed bitterly inside and spoke with difficulty: “I wouldn’t dare trouble Miss Ruyi. I, I, I am not…”

“Not that they don’t suit your taste, but that you don’t dare eat, right?” Ruyi interjected. “You know, once you leave this door, your life will be over—what else is there to fear? Even if the food is poisoned, at least you’d leave behind a complete corpse. Don’t tell me you’d rather die hungry than well-fed?”

Her words awakened Gu Pingyuan from his dream. Thinking it through, he realized she was right—facing death, there was nothing wrong with having a good meal. The tension in his heart relaxed, and after apologizing, he reached out and picked up the black wood chopsticks inlaid with silver.

He was truly starving, and once he started, he couldn’t stop, like the wind sweeping away remnant clouds. Before long, he had emptied several dishes, and a large bowl of “oil-splashed spicy knife-cut noodles” had gone into his stomach. Finally, he drank a cup of thick soup to warm his stomach. It was truly a feast—he almost swallowed his tongue. Gu Pingyuan put down his chopsticks and sighed, feeling sweat on his forehead and an unprecedented comfort throughout his body.

Only then did he remember Ruyi sitting across from him. He quickly looked up and saw her covering her mouth, clearly suppressing a laugh.

Gu Pingyuan didn’t need a mirror to know his face must be red. His eating manner just now had nothing of a refined person’s dignity—it probably resembled a beggar more than anything else. He couldn’t blame her for laughing. Moreover, having eaten her food, he naturally couldn’t maintain his stern face as before. Gu Pingyuan clasped his hands in his seat and said: “Miss Ruyi, although I don’t understand what’s happening, I must first thank you for this meal. As you said, if I die well-fed, I’ll be eternally grateful on my journey to the underworld.”

Ruyi glanced at him with her bright eyes and said: “Master Gu…”

Gu Pingyuan had found this form of address jarring earlier, and now he waved his hand: “I’m not old, nor am I an official or a wealthy man. Why call me ‘Master’?”

“Then what should I call you? What’s your position in your family?”

“I’m the eldest, my family…” Gu Pingyuan still maintained a degree of caution and swallowed the words he was about to say.

Ruyi didn’t mind and instead smiled: “Fine, I’ll call you Young Master Gu. You’re from the south, and this form of address has recently come from there.”

Gu Pingyuan secretly frowned. This was indeed a southern way of addressing people, but it was commonly used in brothels. Though he didn’t frequent such establishments, he had heard that in brothels, they asked about one’s position in the family and then added “ten” before it. For example, if someone was the third son in their family, they would be called “Young Master Thirteen”; if fifth, “Young Master Fifteen”—to create an auspicious impression of a prosperous family. As for someone like himself, he could be called “Young Master Gu” or “Young Master Eleven,” as the character “da” (大, meaning “big” or “great”) itself was auspicious. Ruyi calling him this way made him wonder if she was indeed from the world of courtesans. Looking at her dress and demeanor, there was certainly a hint of uninhibited elegance.

Ruyi didn’t notice that a single form of address had caused Gu Pingyuan such contemplation, and she continued with her conversation.

“Young Master Gu, are you satisfied?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me ask you, do you still want to die?”

“This…” This sudden question truly stumped Gu Pingyuan. Strangely enough, now that he was warm and comfortable, he couldn’t help but think of all the good things about being alive, and he indeed didn’t feel as determined to die as before. But when Gu Pingyuan thought about why he had to follow Chen Laizi here, when he thought about Fourth Uncle Chang still suffering in prison, he slowly nodded again.

“You still want to die?” Ruyi opened her beautiful eyes wide in surprise, lowered her head to think for a moment, then looked up and said, “I’m afraid you believe that being captured by Chen Laizi means certain doom. What if I told you that not only do you not need to die, but this misfortune could turn into a blessing, allowing you to live a happy life from now on!”

Gu Pingyuan looked at her puzzled: “I’m getting more and more confused. If Miss Ruyi has something to say, would it be better to speak plainly?”

Ruyi smiled even deeper: “Good, of course. This isn’t your first time in Taigu County. Have you heard of Flower Moon Tower?”

Gu Pingyuan hadn’t heard of it when he was recovering in Taigu, but just now, he had heard Chen Laizi and his group talking about it. He knew that Flower Moon Tower must be a famous local brothel, so he nodded.

“I am the top courtesan at Flower Moon Tower. Ruyi is my professional name.” Since they first met, Ruyi had remained calm and composed, and now was no exception. There wasn’t a trace of shame on her face; instead, she looked at Gu Pingyuan with a mocking expression. However, seeing that Gu Pingyuan’s expression remained unchanged, Ruyi was somewhat surprised. In her view, people like Gu Pingyuan were nothing but pedantic scholars. Among the customers who frequented Flower Moon Tower, pedantic scholars were the most ridiculous—at first refusing to enter, then reluctantly pushed in, then closing their eyes to avoid being corrupted. After a few cups of wine, they would show their true colors, grabbing onto the girls’ sleeves and not letting go. Once in the room, they would display all sorts of ugly behaviors—throw a shoe and tell them to fetch it with their mouth, and not one would disobey.

However, Gu Pingyuan’s reaction was neither disdainful nor lustful. He even smiled: “Seeing your demeanor, I had guessed as much.” Gu Pingyuan truly didn’t look down on women in the entertainment business, nor did he feel lust at the sight of beauty. In this situation, curiosity dominated his feelings.

Ruyi examined Gu Pingyuan with some confusion, clearly puzzled by his indifference to her identity as a courtesan, but she didn’t try to guess his thoughts.

“You probably don’t know that even before you returned to Shanxi, your reputation had already spread throughout Taigu. These days, at every banquet in our establishment, people talk about your story of crossing the Black Water Marsh and confronting the Wang manor.” Ruyi was telling the truth. Gu Pingyuan’s caravan had stopped for a few days in Ukeduo to purchase goods, and merchants who happened to be there had already brought this earth-shattering story back to Shanxi. Not just Taigu, but almost the entire province had heard of it. Crossing the Black Water Marsh was no small feat, and the entire caravan had passed through safely. Who would dare offend the mighty Wang family? Yet Gu Pingyuan refused to be intimidated and even demanded double the payment for his goods. Thus, the previously unknown Gu Pingyuan was almost described as an immortal descended to earth. Some people were even planning to adapt this story into Changzi Drum Ballads to be performed in teahouses and restaurants.

“I was once a daughter from a good family, not willingly debasing myself to serve wine and sell smiles in a brothel. Since falling into this life, I’ve been looking for a chance to escape this hell every moment, but… sigh, among those who come to such places, how many good customers are there?” Ruyi lowered her head, a trace of sadness appearing on her face.

Gu Pingyuan listened in a daze, unable to respond, so he simply remained silent.

“But you’re different. Everything you’ve done shows the true colors of a real man. I’ve thought it through—either I don’t reform at all, or if I do, I’ll follow a renowned hero like you. No matter where we go, I’ll feel at ease, at least I won’t be bullied anymore.” As Ruyi spoke, she bent down slightly to pick up a package from the ground, placed it on the table, and unwrapped it layer by layer. Inside was a palm-sized gilded box. “Don’t be fooled by the small size of this box. Inside are my savings from several years. My title as a top courtesan isn’t just for show—come and see!”

When the box opened, the dazzling brilliance instantly outshone all the lights in the room. Inside were diamonds the size of hazelnuts, at least thirty of them. Ruyi grabbed a handful from the densely packed diamonds, held them up to her face to look at them, smelled them, then released her hand, letting them fall back into the box.

“Although the money I earned isn’t clean, I didn’t waste it frivolously. Whenever I saved enough silver, I would exchange it for a diamond, always hoping that one day I would meet a hero in dire straits, gift him gold, save him, and save myself in the process. Who would have thought that year after year passed, and I slowly accumulated a whole box, yet I didn’t know where that good person was.” Ruyi sighed, her tone suddenly becoming urgent. “Young Master Gu, you only need to accept me, and it’s like accepting this box of treasures. From then on, you’ll have endless wealth to enjoy. You don’t need to worry about Chen Laizi causing more trouble. Since I could arrange this meeting, I can naturally deal with them. I’ve prepared the carriage. You just need to nod, and we can leave through the back door. After a few days of fast riding…”

Ruyi suddenly stopped speaking. She noticed Gu Pingyuan slowly shaking his head.

“Miss Ruyi, I appreciate your kindness deeply. It’s truly rare to find such a sincere heart. However, I returned to face punishment because I didn’t want to implicate innocent people. If I leave, it wouldn’t matter much for me, but it would cost good people their lives. This cannot be done.” Gu Pingyuan hadn’t expected to encounter such an extraordinary situation—wasn’t this like the story of “Du Shiniang” from the operas? To him, Ruyi’s proposal was indeed tempting. Compared to facing execution, the life Ruyi described was truly one of “flowers upon brocade and oil to fry the fire”—a life of extreme luxury. As the saying goes, “Since ancient times, the only true hardship is death.” Who would choose death when there was a glimmer of hope for life? But precisely because of this, Gu Pingyuan dared not think too much about it. He held firm to his original purpose of turning himself in, gritting his teeth to follow this path to the end.

Hearing this, Ruyi’s face was full of unwillingness. She urged: “Think carefully again. If you refuse me, once you leave this door, it will be torture, beating, and beheading. Yet you clearly have the opportunity to become wealthy, and more importantly, with me…” As Ruyi spoke, she slowly walked over, coming to Gu Pingyuan’s side, taking his hand and gently placing it on her chest.

“I don’t dare dream of being your wife, but being your concubine would satisfy me completely.”

That box of diamonds was worth more than ten thousand gold pieces. With it, he could return to his hometown in Anhui, buy land and houses, marry a beautiful wife, and have Ruyi as his beautiful concubine—a life even immortals would envy. Gu Pingyuan looked up and saw Ruyi’s eyes full of spring sentiment. Where his hand touched was soft and smooth. He pulled his hand back as if shocked by electricity, stood up abruptly, and turned his head away, not daring to look at Ruyi again. He said urgently: “Please forgive me for saying goodbye now. For your kindness, I can only repay you in the next life.”

With that, Gu Pingyuan strode toward the door. “Wait!” Ruyi called out to him, walked to his side, and whispered in his ear: “Young Master Gu, even if you are a sincere gentleman willing to sacrifice yourself rather than implicate others, pity me for using a fortune to buy this brief spring night. How can you bear to disappoint me? Even if you’re not willing to flee with me, won’t you leave me with one night’s affection? Even if you’re cruel enough to disregard your own life, don’t you want to taste the pleasure of being with a woman one last time before you die?”

Having said this, without waiting for Gu Pingyuan to respond, she slowly removed her jacket. Underneath, she wore only a red silk bodice embroidered with flying swallows and fastened with fine gold chains. It clung thinly to her body, the pointed tips at her breast peaks clearly visible. She seemed to suddenly feel cold and embraced Gu Pingyuan tightly, letting out a few barely audible moans. Her face flushed red, exceptionally charming.

With this fragrant beauty in his arms, Gu Pingyuan’s mind instantly became a battlefield between reason and desire, boiling like a pot. One voice constantly said: “You cannot do this. You’ve never met this woman before—how can you engage in such improper behavior? Wouldn’t that be like animals mating in the wild? Have all your studies gone to waste?” But another voice said: “So what? I’m a man facing death. The rules of propriety in this world won’t constrain me much longer. Besides, she’s not a respectable woman, and she’s offering herself to me willingly. Why shouldn’t I enjoy a moment of tenderness before I die?”

He stood woodenly, not moving, but Ruyi kept moving. She gently embraced Gu Pingyuan, swaying her body, letting him feel her warmth. Gu Pingyuan suddenly felt a heat rising from his lower abdomen, almost instantly making him unable to control himself. His arms involuntarily tightened around Ruyi. He was startled, and while he still had a trace of clarity, he tried to push this woman away forcefully. But Ruyi clung to him tightly, and Gu Pingyuan couldn’t push her away in one go. Instead, she guided his hand along the edge of her bodice and slipped it inside…

With that, the desire in Gu Pingyuan’s heart burst forth like floodwaters breaking through a dam. He could no longer restrain himself. He picked Ruyi up and placed her on a spring bench near the door. Ruyi lay back, biting her lower lip, her starry eyes half-closed, looking at Gu Pingyuan with full coquettishness as he quickly removed his outer clothing and pressed himself onto her…

Just at this passionate moment, the tightly closed door was suddenly kicked open with a “bang,” and someone stormed in, grabbing Gu Pingyuan by the neck from behind. This person was very strong—with one hand, he pulled Gu Pingyuan up and then dragged him backward. Before Gu Pingyuan could understand what was happening, he had already been dragged into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, there was a large lotus-patterned vat, about four feet tall, with an opening wide enough for two people to embrace around it. It was originally placed in the courtyard to store water for fire prevention. Without a word, this person lifted Gu Pingyuan up and “splash” threw him headfirst into the large water vat.

The vat was filled to the brim with water! This was the coldest time of winter when spit would freeze upon hitting the ground. The water in the vat must have been newly filled, but a thick layer of ice had already formed on top. Gu Pingyuan had just been in a warm room, his body heated with passion. Suddenly plunged into this ice cave, it felt as if a thousand steel knives were stabbing into his bones. It was like experiencing the legendary tortures of “rolling nail board” or “dragon oil refining.” His entire body was in unbearable pain—he had never suffered like this in his life. He couldn’t help but open his mouth and scream “Ah!” loudly. He forgot he was underwater, and a mouthful of water rushed into his throat. The icy water also flowed through his nostrils into his lungs, feeling like several sharp saws cutting back and forth, so painful he almost fainted. His hands clutched at the slippery vat walls in desperate grasping, but they were too slick. He was about to run out of breath, with only one thought in his mind: “I’m going to die here!”

Dying like this was truly bewildering, and Gu Pingyuan was not resigned to it, so his will to survive remained strong. Fortunately, the person who had thrown him into the vat hadn’t held him down, and the vat was large enough. After struggling vigorously, Gu Pingyuan managed to turn himself around. The four-foot height couldn’t submerge him completely. He raised his hands to grasp the edge of the vat and stood up trembling. As soon as his head emerged from the water, the piercing pain he felt while taking large breaths caused him to involuntarily let out a terrible scream.

“Aaaaah…”

After this cry, Gu Pingyuan’s vision blurred. He felt as if his internal organs and entire body had been crushed by a stone roller. His limbs trembled violently. When he tried to scream again, everything he had eaten earlier came rushing out. This time, his vomiting was even more violent than when he was on horseback earlier—it was as if his stomach and intestines had turned inside out. Gu Pingyuan had no strength left. He half-knelt in the water, leaning on the edge of the vat, vomiting non-stop—half outside the vat, half inside on himself. The ice had cut his head, and fresh blood flowed down his cheeks. His wretched appearance was worse than that of a beggar lying next to a manure pile in the street.

After finally catching his breath and regaining some composure, Gu Pingyuan tried to climb out of the vat. Looking up, he saw several people standing in the courtyard. There were lanterns at the four corners of the courtyard wall. In their light, he could see one person wearing a turned-brim fur hat askew, of medium build, with a square face and downturned corners of his mouth, standing with his arms crossed right next to the large vat. It was this person who had thrown Gu Pingyuan into the water vat, and now he was watching him expressionlessly, as if looking at a dog that could be strangled at any moment.

Gu Pingyuan had never seen this person before, let alone knew him. But he recognized the other man and woman in the courtyard. Not only did he recognize them, but they had parted not long ago.

Liu Heita and Chang Yu’er!

Liu Heita looked at him with disdain, his fists clenched, clearly suppressing his anger. Chang Yu’er’s gaze was more complex—there was a hint of pity, a trace of disappointment, but mostly pain.

Gu Pingyuan didn’t know how they had come here, nor why they remained silent seeing him in such a predicament. Just as he was about to speak, he heard someone laughing heartily from inside the room, who then walked out.

It turned out there had been someone else in the room all along, hiding in an adjacent compartment, only emerging now. The person who came out was a thin old man wearing a long robe inside and an otter fur coat outside. He had a hooked nose, thin lips, a wrinkled face but eyes like lightning—clearly a formidable character. After coming out of the room, he first fixed his hawk-like eyes on Gu Pingyuan, then turned to the Liu and Chang siblings.

“Now that you’ve seen him, isn’t it worse than not seeing him at all?”

Chang Yu’er kept her gaze fixed on Gu Pingyuan, seemingly oblivious to the thin old man’s words. Liu Heita spat out a harsh “Pah!” at him, showing obvious contempt for this person.

The thin old man didn’t mind at all. He stroked his goatee and continued: “This is what you’ve seen with your own eyes, not something I, Wang Tiangui, made up. People only reveal whether they’re heroes or cowards when facing death. Since this convict has changed his mind, it’s obvious that the first thing he’d do after getting up from a woman and pulling up his pants would be to flee with the woman and jewels. Would he still care whether the Chang family faces confiscation and punishment? Would he care whether Old Chang Si loses his head?”

“Shut up!” Liu Heita growled.

“Hehe, the facts are clear—we’ve caught him in the act. He willingly threw himself at the woman—you can’t force a bull to drink water if it doesn’t want to. Think about it, with Chang Si ready to take the blame, anyone who isn’t a fool would eventually understand. Who doesn’t value their life? Counting on this convict to save your father is just a dream.”

Chang Yu’er couldn’t bear to listen anymore. She turned her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, and said quietly to Liu Heita: “Brother, let’s go.”

Liu Heita responded, but with lingering resentment he glanced once more at Gu Pingyuan. When he looked away, his expression was full of heartache. He wanted to say something but didn’t know how to begin. Finally, he sighed and turned to leave with his sister.

“Wait!” Wang Tiangui said unhurriedly. “If you want to keep Chang Si safe, bring the land deeds, house deeds, and both the official and private contracts for the salt field early tomorrow. Only then can I put in a good word for him with the county magistrate. You’re different from this convict—this is your own father. Don’t be stingy now.”

Wang Tiangui’s words were like pouring oil on fire. “Wang Tiangui, you insatiable old thief! No wonder you have no descendants!” Liu Heita, who had been holding back, suddenly turned around and pointed a finger, cursing in a rage. Not satisfied with just cursing, he leaped forward like a tiger, lunging to attack.

Gu Pingyuan had remained silent all this time. He knew he had unwittingly fallen into Wang Tiangui’s trap and felt both guilty and indignant. But as the saying goes, “You can’t force a bull to drink water”—in the end, he couldn’t resist, and no explanation would help. Moreover, although what Wang Tiangui said was mere speculation without real evidence, in this context, it became a condemnation of his character. Precisely because there was no concrete evidence, Gu Pingyuan had no way to defend himself even if he wanted to.

Looking at his current state—standing in a large water vat with blood streaming down his face, his body soaking wet, vomit everywhere, gritting his teeth against the bone-chilling cold, limbs trembling uncontrollably—this wretched condition was something he had never experienced since birth. Yet it was witnessed by the Chang siblings with whom he had formed a close friendship along the journey. Gu Pingyuan was a young man with extremely strong self-esteem. A fire rose in his heart, and he felt that saying anything would be useless. Wang Tiangui was probably waiting for him to defend himself so he could further humiliate him. So he simply closed his lips tightly, not wanting to say anything.

But then he suddenly spoke, shouting two words: “Look out!”

He certainly wasn’t warning Wang Tiangui. In fact, the person who needed to be careful was Liu Heita! Despite his terrible pain, Gu Pingyuan remained extraordinarily alert. Just as Liu Heita lunged forward, he noticed that the “skewed hat” man beside him also moved, rushing toward Liu Heita.

Liu Heita reached Wang Tiangui and extended a hand to grab his throat. At that moment, Gu Pingyuan’s warning and Chang Yu’er’s cry of “Brother, don’t…” reached his ears. Liu Heita hesitated slightly, but before he could turn to look, suddenly the extended wrist was firmly grasped with a “bang.” Liu Heita was startled and tried to resist, but felt a great force surge forth. Before he understood what was happening, he felt as if he were swinging on a childhood swing—suddenly flying up and then crashing down hard. His body slammed onto the blue bricks, thrown more than thirty feet away. He heard Chang Yu’er’s startled cry as she rushed over to support him.

Liu Heita was tough-skinned and thick-fleshed. He stood up, shook himself, and felt no injury. Rubbing his eyes to look more carefully, he realized that the square-faced man with the skewed hat who had dragged Gu Pingyuan out of the room was now standing in front of Wang Tiangui. With a cold smile at the corner of his mouth, arms folded, he looked at Liu Heita as if he were nothing.

Liu Heita had loved martial arts since childhood and enjoyed standing up for justice. From the age of seventeen or eighteen, he had been a famous street fighter. Since he could remember, he had never suffered such a great defeat in single combat. He roared in anger and was about to lunge again, but Chang Yu’er held him back firmly.

Chang Yu’er had seen the previous scene very clearly. The man wasn’t tall and wasn’t as broad-shouldered and thick-waisted as Liu Heita, yet he could throw her brother away with just one hand. This was something Chang Yu’er had rarely seen in her life. This man was clearly a formidable martial artist, and if her brother went up against him again, he would likely suffer another defeat.

But Liu Heita was furious, and now he wouldn’t listen to anyone! He was a brash man who had risked his life to earn a great sum of money. Happily returning to Shanxi, he had thought he could make a grand appearance, bringing great news to his father, and show his might and spirit in front of people like Wang Tiangui and Chen Laizi. Unexpectedly, in an instant, the situation had drastically changed—his father was imprisoned, the family property was about to fall into others’ hands, and Elder Brother Gu, whom he had thought was close and dear, had done such a shameful and disloyal thing. He felt an indescribable pain in his heart, yet had nowhere to vent it. If there were an iron ring on the ground right now, Liu Heita could have uprooted a mountain.

So when Chang Yu’er tried to hold him back, Liu Heita, burning with anger, didn’t even feel it. He surged forward, causing his sister to fall to the ground. This time, Liu Heita went straight for the skewed hat man, delivering a fierce chopping palm. The palm wind was fierce, and even Wang Tiangui standing behind the skewed hat man could feel it.

The skewed hat man neither dodged nor moved. When the palm arrived, he suddenly thrust out a fist, somehow striking first despite starting later, hitting Liu Heita squarely in the chest. With just this simple punch, he sent the large Liu Heita staggering backward several steps. Liu Heita felt a rush of blood in his throat and opened his mouth with a “wa,” spitting out a stream of blood that steamed when it hit the ground, instantly freezing into red ice.

After receiving this heavy blow, Liu Heita felt his heart palpitating and his breath short, with internal discomfort. When he tried to gather his breath, the pain piercing his chest told him he had definitely suffered internal injuries. Such a severe injury would have laid others down immediately, but Liu Heita had a never-give-up temperament. He gritted his back teeth, swallowed another mouthful of blood, and fiercely said to Wang Tiangui behind the skewed hat man: “Well done, old fellow, what a good dog you’ve trained!” With that, he pulled out a nine-section chain whip from his waist, eyes bloodshot, advancing step by step.

Seeing his desperate manner and the iron weapon in his hand, Wang Tiangui couldn’t help feeling tense. He coughed once, as if to remind the skewed hat man.

The skewed hat man didn’t even blink. He waited until the chain whip came crashing down before casually glancing upward. This time, none of the onlookers saw clearly how Liu Heita’s chain whip suddenly left his hand and was seized by the skewed hat man. Liu Heita himself was stunned, looking in disbelief at his empty hand. In that instant, the skewed hat man raised his foot and kicked Liu Heita square in the chest and abdomen. Standing on the steps, he already had the high ground, and this kick was powerful and vicious. Liu Heita was still in a daze and didn’t avoid it at all, taking the full impact. His body fell backward with a “thud.”

“Clap, clap.” Wang Tiangui applauded, smiling: “Good! Truly ‘one move of an expert reveals his skill.’ Worthy of a martial examination graduate—these moves were clean and efficient. As for this chain, I’ll keep it to leash my dogs.” Upon hearing the praise, the skewed hat man’s face remained expressionless, though at the words “martial examination graduate,” the ridge of his eyebrow moved slightly.

Gu Pingyuan was also watching in amazement. Liu Heita had held his own when surrounded by more than a dozen Mongolian soldiers in Mongolia; his skills were genuine, not boasts. Yet against this skewed hat man, he couldn’t even last one exchange. Who was this person? Could he really be a martial examination graduate? But why would a dignified martial graduate lower himself to serve as a bodyguard for Wang Tiangui?

When Liu Heita got up again, he was already swaying unsteadily. But he still wouldn’t admit defeat and wanted to attack again when he heard a heart-wrenching cry from behind: “Brother!”

Liu Heita was startled and slowly turned around to see his sister Chang Yu’er with a face full of desperation and panic. Her lips trembled constantly, her thin figure looking ever more fragile and pitiful in the embrace of the night. A thought flashed in his mind: “If I die here, what will happen to my sister?”

Chang Yu’er spoke first, her tone resolute: “Brother, if you don’t care about your life, I won’t care about mine either. I’ll just bash my head against something and die right here!” As she spoke, her eyes looked toward the stone carving at the courtyard entrance.

Liu Heita looked at Chang Yu’er, then turned back to glance reluctantly at Wang Tiangui and the skewed hat man. He stomped his foot fiercely and let out a sky-piercing roar, as if to expel all the pent-up frustration in his heart. Then he walked toward the exit. Chang Yu’er looked deeply at Gu Pingyuan, who still stood woodenly in the water vat. She seemed about to speak but decided against it, finally sighing silently and following Liu Heita out.

After these two left, Wang Tiangui gave the skewed hat man a look, then returned to the room. The skewed hat man rolled up his sleeves, came over to pull Gu Pingyuan out of the water vat, and dragged him back to the room.

Inside, the stove fire was still blazing, and besides the stove, there were two large fire basins on the ground. Upon entering, Wang Tiangui took off his fur robe, wearing a black robe underneath, and sat in the eight immortals chair in the middle of the room, looking at Gu Pingyuan with eyes like those watching a caged beast.

Gu Pingyuan wanted to stand steady, but his legs kept trembling. Strangely, although the room was as warm as spring sunshine, he felt a chill creeping into his bones from his heart, even colder than when he was in the ice water.

Ruyi came over, handed a cup of warmed Fen liquor to Wang Tiangui, then stood quietly behind him. But Wang Tiangui wouldn’t allow this; he reached out and pulled her onto his lap.

“Fine wine and beautiful women! In this world of struggle for power and profit, in the end, isn’t it all for these two things? Young Brother Gu, you’re a disciple of Confucius. Didn’t the sage also say ‘Food and sex are human nature’? Isn’t that right?”

Gu Pingyuan gritted his teeth and remained silent. Wang Tiangui continued: “So when Ruyi tempted you with profit and beauty, and you ignored both, I was truly anxious watching from the side. Young Brother Gu, I was worried for you! When a person reaches the point of not loving money or women, they might as well be dead!”

He spoke slowly and methodically, but at the last sentence, his tone suddenly turned vicious. Gu Pingyuan couldn’t help but look up and saw him staring intently.

“Fortunately, you saved yourself at the last moment. If you had actually stepped out that door, at this moment you would already be beheaded. Now,” Wang Tiangui glanced at Ruyi, “for the time being, you don’t need to die!”

Gu Pingyuan knew what he meant. Although Ruyi had seduced him first, he was indeed morally compromised in this matter. A sense of shame washed over him, and the original resilience in his heart weakened considerably. He finally spoke: “Don’t you just want the Chang family compound? Why go to all this trouble?”

“Good question. Originally, I only wanted the Chang family compound, and indeed wouldn’t have needed to go to such lengths. But now… I want one more thing!” Wang Tiangui held up one finger.

“What?”

“You!”

“Me?” Gu Pingyuan raised his head abruptly.

Wang Tiangui nodded. “How far can you go helping Chang Si? Come work for me at ‘Taiyufeng.’ Not only will your life be safe, but you can expect wealth and prosperity. Who knows, the next top courtesan at Flower Moon Tower might be your personal plaything.”

Someone else might have asked, “What if I refuse?” Gu Pingyuan didn’t ask that. Not agreeing would naturally mean death. What he wanted to know was something else: “Where is Old Uncle Chang Si? Where is he?”

“What do you think?” Wang Tiangui replied unhurriedly.

“This is your home. Old Uncle Chang Si must be locked in your private prison.”

Wang Tiangui shook his head, with a gleam in his eyes like a cat toying with a mouse: “You’re wrong. This isn’t my home. This is the county jail.”

The jail? Gu Pingyuan looked around doubtfully. It clearly had the appearance of a wealthy household. Even ordinary rich families didn’t have such luxurious furnishings. Moreover, food had been brought in earlier—how could a prison have such delicacies? Besides, Wang Tiangui wasn’t the county magistrate. After the earlier commotion, if this were a private residence, that would be one thing, but in a jail, wouldn’t someone come to intervene?

Wang Tiangui saw the doubt in his mind and lifted his chin. The skewed hat man came forward and worked on a wall toward the interior, then pulled up and down, prying and tugging forcefully, actually removing a section of the wall.

Gu Pingyuan stared in astonishment. Looking carefully, he discovered that there was another wall behind this one. The skewed hat man had removed a wooden wall painted white to deceive the eye. Behind it was a stone wall, built layer by layer with granite. In this wall was a one-foot-square small window with an iron plate of equal size covering it. The skewed hat man also removed the iron plate.

Wang Tiangui gestured for Gu Pingyuan to look for himself. Gu Pingyuan, harboring doubts, slowly approached and put his head to the window to look inside.

What he saw made Gu Pingyuan’s eyes bulge with rage; his lungs nearly burst with anger. Behind this stone wall was a real prison cell. In the room, there was nothing but iron shackle rings on the wall. The floor was covered with thin straw, and several prisoners in prison garb lay scattered about, snoring thunderously. A foul, stinking odor drifted from the window. While everyone else was sleeping, in the middle of the ground, one man was kneeling bare-chested, completely motionless.

He dared not move! Because on his head balanced a chamber pot filled with urine. If he moved slightly, the urine would splash out.

This man was none other than Old Uncle Chang Si!

Though less than a hundred days had passed since Gu Pingyuan last saw him, he almost didn’t recognize him. The old man was emaciated, so thin he was almost unrecognizable. There were many bruises on his body, clearly from torture. In such cold weather, he didn’t even have a single layer of clothing. Though his face was blue from the cold, he dared not shiver. His trembling hands held the chamber pot on his head, his eyes wide open, obviously afraid of falling asleep.

A bitter, swollen feeling choked Gu Pingyuan’s throat. He had barely opened his mouth to call out when the skewed hat man covered his mouth from behind and pushed him back.

Gu Pingyuan turned around and glared angrily at Wang Tiangui, his teeth grinding audibly. Wang Tiangui pretended not to see, lowered his head to take a sip of wine from Ruyi’s hand, and smacked his lips: “Same prison, same jail, but separated by just one wall. Rich lawbreakers can live in luxurious rooms, enjoy fine food, and embrace beautiful women. Poor people sleep on straw mats, endure cold winds, and suffer harsh punishments. Sigh, if one doesn’t know one’s place and offends those who shouldn’t be offended, not only will they receive beatings, but they’ll also have to kneel with a urine pot on their head for three days and three nights. Spill one drop and get a beating. If they fall asleep, they might lose their life. At that point, reporting it as death from illness would suffice.”

He spoke casually, but Gu Pingyuan listened with burning rage. He never imagined that Old Uncle Chang Si had suffered so much for him. He had truly caused great harm!

As he was filled with regret and pain, Wang Tiangui asked: “Will you save him?”

Gu Pingyuan looked up in surprise, staring at Wang Tiangui without speaking.

Wang Tiangui impatiently repeated his question, and Gu Pingyuan immediately replied: “Of course I’ll save him. I came to the county office to explain clearly…”

Wang Tiangui waved his hand, “Enough, I don’t want to hear this. This isn’t a public court. You don’t need to plead innocence or offer clever defenses. I’ll ask you one thing: are you willing to work for me and make money for me?”

Gu Pingyuan thought for a moment and said: “If I agree, you must release Old Uncle Chang Si immediately, and also…”

“Hahaha…” Wang Tiangui laughed loudly, then wiped his face. His eyes emitted a cold light, directly confronting Gu Pingyuan.

“Young man, do you think you still have room to negotiate? I’m giving you one condition—that is, Chang Si won’t have to balance a urine pot on his head anymore! Do you agree or not?”

Gu Pingyuan was instantly speechless. After a long pause, he nodded heavily.

“Good, the wise adapt to circumstances. Let me tell you, in Taigu County, county magistrates may come and go, but the county government always opens its doors for me, Wang Tiangui. If your heart and mouth don’t match, the first to suffer will be Chang Si, followed by his son and daughter. Even you, surname Gu, won’t escape.”

Wang Tiangui paused, took a breath, and said: “You may go. Come to Taiyufeng to find me early tomorrow morning.”

Gu Pingyuan looked at the wall, pondering Wang Tiangui’s words. He knew the man wasn’t bluffing or making empty threats. It seemed that Wang Tiangui truly had overwhelming power in Taigu. Just looking at this scene he had arranged in the county jail showed his astonishing influence. With just the slight extension of his little finger, he could crush Gu Pingyuan to dust.

Who would have thought that after defeating the fierce wolves of the grasslands, he would be defeated by a local snake in Shanxi? Gu Pingyuan felt utterly despondent. He turned and walked toward the exit with his head hanging low. Wang Tiangui gently pushed Ruyi, who called out: “Wait!”

Gu Pingyuan’s heart jumped in alarm. He turned around but dared not look at her. But Ruyi still wore that flower-like smile, as if everything that had happened before never occurred. She swayed her slender waist as she walked to the table, picked up a plate with leftover “Sugar-Braised Pork Knuckle,” and came to Gu Pingyuan.

“You’ve vomited everything you ate earlier. There’s still more than half of this pork knuckle left. Young Master Gu, please eat it.”

Even if Gu Pingyuan were reincarnated as a hungry ghost, he wouldn’t touch this plate of pork knuckle again. When he saw her offering it to him, he raised his hand to block it and was about to speak when Ruyi suddenly pretended to fumble, tilting the plate so the entire piece of pork knuckle fell to the ground.

“Oh!” Ruyi exclaimed in feigned surprise. “It’s my fault, but…” She made a troubled expression and looked at Gu Pingyuan. “This is a meal that Master Wang invited you to eat. It’s his sincere gesture after all. What a pity.”

Only then did Gu Pingyuan realize that the play wasn’t over. Seeing Wang Tiangui staring at him unblinkingly, he understood that all the words spoken earlier were merely like weeds floating on the river. This piece of pork knuckle on the ground was the true surrender document.

To eat or not to eat? If he ate it, how was he different from a dog? From then on, he would never be able to hold his head up in front of Wang Tiangui. But if he didn’t eat it, Wang Tiangui would turn on him, and neither Old Uncle Chang Si nor he would be able to protect their lives. Even Liu Heita and Chang Yu’er might not escape unharmed.

His mind was in complete disarray, like a tangled skein of hemp. He truly wanted to bash his head against the steps and die right there, rather than suffer such humiliation. Just then, a loud curse suddenly came from next door, clearly audible through the small window.

“Old fool, I’ll make you close your eyes, I’ll make you sleep!” “Slap! Slap!” Two sounds of heavy-handed slaps were distinctly heard.

Without looking, he knew that Old Uncle Chang Si must have been struck by a prison bully. Gu Pingyuan’s heart ached as he bent down, but Ruyi gently pushed the pork knuckle with her pointed lotus foot, smiled faintly, and said: “Young Master Gu, please enjoy!”

This was humiliation of the most vicious kind! Gu Pingyuan seemed as if under a freeze spell, his extended hand trembling in mid-air. Finally, gritting his teeth, he picked up the pork knuckle and ate it completely, bite by bite.

Everyone in the room watched him. Only the skewed hat man shifted his gaze, looking up at the ceiling beams. Wang Tiangui sat there with a smile, watching him eat, then suddenly said to Ruyi: “He gnaws much better than that black-eyed dog at home.”

Ruyi covered her mouth and laughed, Wang Tiangui also smiled, but Gu Pingyuan’s face remained expressionless as if he hadn’t heard, only two teardrops slowly flowed from his closed eyes.

“Alright, alright, it was just a joke. Gu Pingyuan, don’t take offense.” Wang Tiangui, well-versed in human nature, knew not to pull the bow too tight. He waved his hand. “Get him a set of dry clothes. It’s freezing cold—don’t let him catch a chill.”

Like a wooden puppet, Gu Pingyuan took the clothes handed to him by the skewed hat man, changed right there in the room, and then was led out of the county jail step by step.

After Gu Pingyuan had disappeared from sight, Ruyi returned to Wang Tiangui’s embrace, coquettishly pinching him once. “Master, you used me as a knife hidden in a smile again. How will you compensate me this time?”

“What do you think?” Wang Tiangui also pinched her tender flesh.

“Give me ten of those diamonds from the box…”

Wang Tiangui’s face darkened, and Ruyi, quick to read the situation, changed her request: “Four.”

Wang Tiangui thought for a moment: “I might as well have a gold hairpin made for you, inlaid with one diamond.”

Ruyi felt dissatisfied—how could one gold hairpin be worth three diamonds? However, having been in a brothel for a long time, although she had now reformed and followed Wang Tiangui, she never forgot the primary rule of not offending clients. Her skill at maintaining steady, long-term relationships hadn’t diminished. She forced a smile and thanked him.

“Let me ask you, at the very end, if it weren’t for the ‘wuhong’ mixed in the soup, would that Gu Pingyuan really have gotten on your treacherous boat?” Wang Tiangui asked, half-jokingly, half-seriously.

Ruyi was taken aback. Today’s show had been arranged by Wang Tiangui long ago to humiliate and subdue Gu Pingyuan. When he asked Ruyi to seduce Gu Pingyuan, Wang Tiangui was afraid he wouldn’t take the bait, so he specially had someone put “wuhong” in the food and drink. This medicine powder was originally used by brothel madams to ensure business wasn’t affected; they had courtesans take it temporarily to pause their monthly flow when dealing with difficult customers. But once when a customer accidentally consumed it, they discovered it was a fast-acting aphrodisiac.

When Wang Tiangui initially said he would use “wuhong,” Ruyi hadn’t thought much of it. She felt that a man in such a situation wouldn’t need her active seduction—even if she did nothing, he would likely be eager to climb on top of her. Unexpectedly, Gu Pingyuan’s actions were surprising—he truly had a strong will that was difficult to break. If not for the effect of the “wuhong,” she might have failed completely, wasting all her efforts.

She was clear about this in her heart, but she said: “What man doesn’t like carnal pleasures? You only heard but didn’t see—though his mouth refused, his eyes kept glancing at my body. His talk of leaving was probably just playing hard to get.”

“Then I’m reassured.” Wang Tiangui leaned back and sighed. “People, what’s most feared is having no weaknesses. If someone truly doesn’t care for wealth or beauty, I wouldn’t dare use such a person—I would simply destroy them.”

“Let me ask you, what’s so good about this Gu Pingyuan that you would go to such lengths to make him submit? In the end, isn’t he just going to be a clerk? Not to mention, just the banquet you set up today would be equal to an ordinary clerk’s salary for a year. Moreover, you had to use me. If word got out, wouldn’t it damage your reputation?”

“What’s the matter with you now? It’s not like I married you with eight sedan chairs. Besides, this beauty stratagem was even used by our dynasty’s Taizong when subduing Hong Chengchou. Wasn’t it the emperor’s own wife who appeared then? No one criticized that—the victor becomes the king, the loser the bandit, that’s the principle!” Wang Tiangui was extremely pleased with his scheme today. He stroked his beard and said slowly: “Gu Pingyuan is no ordinary clerk. He has already become a hot figure in Shanxi’s business circles. Although he doesn’t have much money, his reputation is great. This reputation is difficult to buy with thousands of gold! Think about it—a person who dares to cross the Black Water Marsh, who dares to confront a prince’s manor, now bowing and scraping to me, Wang Tiangui. What position does that put me in the eyes of others? What capabilities does it suggest I have?”

“Furthermore, if the rumors are true, Gu Pingyuan indeed has business talent, combined with courage and careful thinking. If used well, he would be an invaluable general. However, talented people, especially young ones, are often proud and unyielding, carrying a hardness that needs to be broken before they can be used effectively. Now he should understand that Sun Wukong cannot escape from the Buddha’s palm. If I want him to be human, he’ll be human; if I want him to be a dog, he must be a dog!”

Wang Tiangui paused with a smile, intentionally or unintentionally glancing at the skewed hat man nearby. This man, unless given an order, stood silently to the side like a wooden or clay statue, so still it was frightening. Wang Tiangui continued, “I already have a martial examination graduate under me. Add to that Gu Pingyuan, a literary examination graduate—one literary, one martial. How could I not accomplish great things?”

“Great things?” Ruyi smiled. She had heard Wang Tiangui mention this several times but hadn’t taken it to heart. A bank owner at most had influence over the business streets within a hundred li radius—what great things could he accomplish?

However, Wang Tiangui was angered by this obviously somewhat frivolous smile. He reached into his robe and pinched the soft flesh of Ruyi’s chest, exerting force. “You don’t believe me?”

Ruyi inhaled sharply in pain, “I believe! Of course I believe. Master is naturally a person who accomplishes great things.”

Wang Tiangui didn’t reduce the force of his hand. Looking at Ruyi’s face, distorted with pain, he swallowed and said, “Tonight I’ll first take care of you, you flirty hussy.”

Ruyi glanced at the skewed hat man nearby, and suddenly a flush appeared on her face, her nostrils flared, and her breathing quickened. She responded eagerly: “Alright, shall it be on this chair, or shall we go to the bed?”

Wang Tiangui waved his hand, and the skewed hat man finally retreated, the uncovered half of his face showing no expression.

After he left the room, Wang Tiangui whispered in Ruyi’s ear: “He’s gone. Are you disappointed?”

“Then invite him back in—it’s good to have someone watching. In the brothel before, some masters liked to play this way.” Ruyi retorted, not to be outdone. She knew Wang Tiangui wouldn’t lose his temper at this moment.

“I just love your wanton spirit…” Wang Tiangui smiled with satisfaction.

Outside the door, the skewed hat man listened to the lewd words from inside. The two shadows intertwined like twisted sugar, and before long, the light went out. He looked up at the moon—it was almost the fifteenth day, and the moon was becoming increasingly full, moving in and out among the clouds. The skewed hat man took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then also left the county office.

Along the way, he encountered several groups of patrolling yamen runners. As soon as they saw him approaching from a distance, they hurriedly moved aside. It was already past the hour of the fifth watch. In winter, the sun sets early, and at this time, shops were beginning to board up and close their doors. The skewed hat man saw a vendor selling wine from carried jugs on the side of the street and approached him, saying in a low voice: “Two jiao of wine!”

“Right away, I’ll warm it up for you, sir. I’m not boasting, but this is genuine wine brewed with Fen River water, made with good grain and yeast. Why is our family’s wine different from others? We have an ancestral secret…” The wine seller was a young man in his early twenties with a glib tongue, which helped him attract return customers. He was chattering away when he looked up and saw the famous “bringer of death” from the streets. He immediately trembled and fell silent.

Although no one in Taigu County had seen it firsthand, it was rumored that this skewed hat man who covered half his face year-round was a demon king who killed without blinking. The wine seller dared not be negligent and quickly warmed two jiao of wine, passing the long-handled tin wine dipper from a distance. Seeing the skewed hat man tilt his head back and drink half, then wipe his mouth without complaint, the seller finally relaxed.

“What secret?” After taking a large gulp, the skewed hat man slowly savored the rest. The wine seller had been eager to pack up but didn’t dare hurry him. After waiting for a long time with growing anxiety, the skewed hat man suddenly spoke.

The wine seller was startled and stared at him wide-eyed, his heart pounding, wondering what had offended him.

“You mentioned an ancestral secret just now?”

“Ah? Ah… So that’s what you mean, hehe. Other people draw water from the banks of the Fen River to brew wine, but our family specifically takes a boat to the middle of the river and uses iron buckets to sink to the river bottom to draw central river water. It’s especially sweet, pure, and clear, making the wine taste quite different, with a good flavor and a lingering aftertaste.” Usually at this point, he would add, “Enjoy your drink, sir, and please come again!” Today he omitted this line, thinking to himself that he didn’t dare profit from this bringer of death’s copper coins—even if earned, he wouldn’t dare spend them.

The skewed hat man heard this and muttered: “Good wine should be stored and savored slowly. How can it all be consumed at once?”

The wine seller kept earthenware bottles ready for takeaway orders and was about to fetch one when he saw the skewed hat man tilt his hand, pouring all the remaining wine from the dipper onto the ground, where it seeped into the earth. The wine seller thought he disliked the wine and stood dumbfounded, not daring to speak. The skewed hat man pulled out ten large coins for the wine from his sleeve, tossed them on the counter, and walked south.

The wine seller looked at the ten copper coins, then at the skewed hat man’s retreating figure, shaking his head in puzzlement.

After walking two blocks, the skewed hat man suddenly felt something underfoot at a corner. It wasn’t a stone or tile, but in the pitch darkness, it seemed to be a person lying on the ground. He ignored it and stepped over the person, but unexpectedly stepped on another person. This one wasn’t willing to let it go and grabbed the skewed hat man, making “ho ho” sounds and insisting: “Stepping on me, who’s stepping on me? Won’t even let me sleep in peace. I have money, countless money, enough to buy heavenly soldiers and generals to kill you!”

The skewed hat man took out a fire striker from his waist and with a flick recognized that the person grabbing him was “Madman Qiao,” famous in the streets of Taigu County. He had another nickname, “Qiao the Great Wealthy,” reportedly a fallen son from a once-prestigious family who had squandered thousands of gold pieces of family fortune but still went around in tattered clothes claiming to be extremely wealthy.

“Madman Qiao” didn’t attract the skewed hat man’s attention. He extended his leg to kick the madman away and was about to leave when a glance from the corner of his eye made him frown immediately.

Gu Pingyuan!

The person beside him was indeed Gu Pingyuan. He was curled up, wearing only a single layer of clothing, his body leaning against a pile of already burnt-out ashes, sound asleep.

The skewed hat man narrowed his eyes as he looked at him. His eyes were even deeper than the night, like a bottomless pool, yet flashing with cold light. “Madman Qiao,” who had been about to make more trouble, saw his intimidating appearance, shrank his head, squeezed into a corner away from the wind, and was soon snoring.

So he didn’t see how the skewed hat man’s expression gradually changed. Perhaps his facial features didn’t alter at all, but a hint of compassion gradually appeared in his eyes.

In the distance, the wine seller was placing the two wine barrels on a cart, preparing to close shop. He was about to put away the clay-sealed brazier used for warming wine when he looked up and saw the skewed hat man standing before him again, silently and without warning. He was so startled he almost fell on his backside.

“For you.” The skewed hat man tossed a piece of broken silver on the ground.

The wine seller blinked his eyes repeatedly. This piece of scattered silver was a full two taels—he couldn’t earn this much selling wine for an entire month. “Sir, what is this for?” he asked hesitantly.

“Go do something!” The skewed hat man’s tone was a command that brooked no refusal.