“By the way — now that Li Haotian has been detained, hasn’t Li Yongqi come forward at all?”

“No. He hasn’t even sent a single subordinate.”

Yan Qing did not believe Li Yongqi would simply ignore his own son. On the contrary, Li Yongqi simply would not stoop to showing himself at the branch bureau in person — if word of that got out, it would give others ammunition to accuse him of abusing his position for personal gain. It simply wasn’t worth it.

Shi Ting said, “He should come looking for me tomorrow. Just not at the bureau.”

The very next morning, Xiang’er came knocking at the door to say that Wen Xu was looking for Yan Qing.

Yan Qing was already fully dressed by then. She tidied her hair and went out.

Wen Xu was holding a newspaper, pacing back and forth in the courtyard in anxious distress. When he saw her emerge, he immediately came forward. “Qingqing, yesterday you only told me the suspect was a person of some standing. I didn’t find out until this morning that he’s Commander Li’s son.”

Yan Qing took the newspaper and looked it over. Sure enough, the report described Mo Xiangrong’s case in exhaustive detail — even the specifics of the evidence were laid out with extraordinary thoroughness. No one at the branch bureau could have leaked information to the press. The only person who knew all of these details was the killer himself.

“Uncle, now that the suspect may be Commander Li’s son, do you still intend to pursue this matter?”

Wen Xu looked troubled. “Commander Li’s position in Taishan County — you may not fully understand it yet. If the killer truly is his son, I honestly don’t know what should be done. But it’s no longer a question of whether I want to pursue it. With the newspaper framing things in such a righteous manner, demanding justice from the bureau on my behalf, there’s nothing I can say that would change it.”

Yan Qing tilted her head and smiled coldly. The other side had played this move brilliantly. It was no longer Gentleman Wen seeking justice for his own brother-in-law — it was all of Taishan demanding justice on Gentleman Wen’s behalf. Since when had the people of Taishan County become so driven by a sense of righteousness?

The way the press was stoking public sentiment was designed for one purpose: to make the whole affair so widely known that every subsequent move would play out under the eyes of the populace.

Li Haotian had spent his days in idleness and debauchery, consorting with the dregs of society, and must have offended no small number of people. But out of deference to Commander Li’s standing, those people — however much they resented Li Haotian — had not dared to act against him. Now that this story had broken, Li Haotian was like a rat crossing the street, with everyone shouting for his head.

“Uncle, don’t worry — Shi Ting will handle it.” Yan Qing didn’t want to see Wen Xu pulled into the power struggle, so she offered him reassurance. “Just focus on looking after Auntie. Whoever killed Uncle-by-marriage, whether it was Li Haotian or not, the military police division will see that justice is done for him.”

Wen Xu looked at the niece standing before him and let out a heartfelt sigh. The last time they had met, he had merely thought she had grown up. Now, looking at her again, she had not merely grown up — the composed and steady depth she carried made him feel humbled by comparison.

At that moment, Baofu came hurrying in, and spotting Yan Qing, immediately gave a respectful bow.

“Master, Miss, there is someone outside asking to see Director Shi.”

Wen Xu frowned. “Who is it?”

“Military personnel,” Baofu said. “I felt the visitor was of considerable importance, so I came first to inform you, Master.”

“I understand.” Wen Xu looked toward Yan Qing. “I’ll go find Xingzhi.”

Yan Qing guessed it was one of Li Yongqi’s people, and followed along. “I’ll come with you.”

When Yan Qing and Wen Xu arrived at the courtyard where Shi Ting was staying, Shi Ting had just finished dressing and was walking out.

“Xingzhi, there are military personnel outside asking for you.” Wen Xu’s eyes showed concern. “Could it be because of today’s newspaper report about Commander Li’s son?”

Shi Ting reassured him, “It’ll be fine, Uncle. Please go back inside — I’ll take care of it.”

Wen Xu let out a sigh. “If the situation becomes too difficult, don’t concern yourself with my interests here. I’ll explain things to Yunhua on my end.”

Hearing that Wen Xu was thinking entirely of his wellbeing, Shi Ting’s expression softened. “Understood. Thank you, Uncle.”

As Shi Ting headed out, Yan Qing followed. He hadn’t intended to let her get involved, but knowing her temperament, he let it go.

The two of them passed through the decorative gate, and Yan Qing said, “Commander Li has sent someone over — is he trying to pressure you?”

“Whether he’s applying pressure or making a direct threat, we’ll meet whatever comes.” He did not know Li Yongqi’s character well enough to say more.

Li Yongqi had not come in person. Instead, he had sent his deputy to call on them.

The deputy, upon meeting Shi Ting, gave a deferential bow. “Director Shi.”

Shi Ting inclined his head and waited for him to continue.

The deputy said, “Commander Li would like to invite Director Shi to tour the military camp, and hopes that Director Shi can find time in your busy schedule to honor us with a visit.”

Li Yongqi had mentioned a tour of the camp the last time they’d spoken. Shi Ting hadn’t expected it to come up now, of all moments.

Shi Ting did not hesitate. “Since Commander Li has extended the invitation, it would be rude of me to refuse. Deputy, please lead the way.”

The deputy glanced toward Yan Qing, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “This must be Director Shi’s fiancée, Miss Yan? Commander Li gave particular instructions — if Miss Yan is willing, she is most welcome to come along as well.”

Before Shi Ting could say a word of refusal, Yan Qing spoke first. “Since that is the case, we’ll be glad to impose.”

Shi Ting gave Yan Qing a look of concern. Yan Qing blinked at him.

Even if Commander Li held some grievance against Shi Ting over the matter of Li Haotian, Shi Ting was nonetheless the Marshal’s son — Li Yongqi would not dare do anything truly drastic to him. So however fraught this particular “feast at Hongmen” might seem, it posed no real danger. And as Shi Ting’s fiancée, she was as good as half a member of the Shi family — Li Yongqi would have no reason to make things difficult for her.

Her only reason for going was concern for Shi Ting.

Without further words, the two of them opened the car door and got in.

The deputy drove out onto the main road, heading southwest at a brisk pace.

As they left the busy districts of Taishan County behind, the land on either side of the road grew increasingly open and empty, until at last it was almost entirely deserted.

The deputy glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Shi Ting leaning close to Yan Qing, speaking quietly to her. Whatever he was saying, the corner of his mouth had lifted slightly, and a warmth settled into the lines around his eyes.

The deputy didn’t know much about affairs in Shun Cheng — he had only heard that the seventh young master of the Shi family had become engaged to a secondary-born daughter of a merchant, and that the young woman was disabled. Word had it that the seventh young master was not highly regarded by the Marshal, and so his marriage arrangements had been correspondingly lackluster. Yet he had also heard that this secondary-born Miss Yan, though disabled, was of breathtaking beauty and exceptional intelligence — no ordinary woman.

Whatever the rumors were worth, what the deputy saw before him was Shi Ting with softened expression, the corners of his eyes slightly upturned, clearly in excellent spirits. This Miss Yan evidently pleased him greatly.

After driving through a stretch of barren road, rows of green barracks appeared along both sides of the road, lined up side by side. From a distance, the sound of soldiers calling out drills in unison could already be heard.

Shi Ting looked at the flags flying above the barracks — the deep blue sun-and-moon banner of the Northern warlords.

—