Wen Yu knew now was not the time for many questions and did as told, withdrawing the firewood from the fire pit.

While she was doing this, Xiao Li had already closed all the doors and windows of the main room.

Outside, the north wind howled, sweeping past the roof ridge before rushing elsewhere. The wailing sound in the black night made one’s heart grow anxious.

Xiao Li seemed to lean against the door to catch his breath for a moment before standing up to find the fire starter. In the darkness, he was extremely practiced as he lit the oil lamp on the square table. A dim light once again illuminated the small room.

Wen Yu turned her head and saw him covering his waist and abdomen with one hand, blood seeping out between his fingers.

The injury was this severe? No wonder the bloody smell on him was so strong.

Xiao Li picked up the oil lamp and stumbled toward the room. The frost and snow on his clothes melted from the cold air, turning into a damp mist mixed with a heavy bloody smell. His disheveled hair also hung wetly over his forehead and by his ears. His face, illuminated by the dim yellow candlelight, still showed little color.

Wen Yu hesitated for a moment, then took a basin from the wooden rack, poured in hot water that had been warming in the kettle, and carried it in to him.

The window of the room she slept in had been nailed shut with lightproof oilcloth. The oil lamp was also dim. Once the lamp was lit, across a courtyard wall, people passing by on the street outside couldn’t see anything at all.

However, when she lifted the curtain, she happened upon Xiao Li removing his clothes. Wen Yu quickly lowered her head. Though it was only an inadvertent glance, she still saw that his half-worn inner garment had been stained red with blood over more than half its surface.

She placed the water basin on the ground, enduring the sensory stimulation from the heavy bloody smell. With her head lowered, she wrung out a cloth and handed it to him, saying: “Wipe yourself.”

Xiao Li sat on a stool wearing only his inner garment. He had been stabbed in the abdomen. On the road, to stop the bleeding, he had already torn off his middle garment to tightly bind the wound. Now he was trying to untie the dead knot made from the cloth strips.

But after the earlier bloodstains had dried, the cloth strips and the flesh of the wound had congealed together. When he pulled at it, the movement tugged at the scab, and the wound began to seep blood again.

The disheveled hair on his forehead was now impossible to tell whether it was wet from snow water or soaked with sweat. Hearing the sound, he lifted his sweat-beaded eyelids to see Wen Yu with her eyes half-lowered, seeming not to dare look at him, yet still stubbornly holding up a wrung cloth.

The hand holding the cloth had a pale, slender wrist with delicate bones. It looked fragile, yet like the person herself, it revealed an indescribable resilience.

Last time, when he was this wretched, it was also she who had handed him a handkerchief like this.

Xiao Li felt as if his heart had been gripped hard by a large hand. An aching, swelling pain welled up, making him feel suffocated, unable to catch his breath.

He had always known that she was a white egret that had temporarily perched on his rooftop after losing its way. Once it found its flock, it would spread its wings and leave, destined never to stay here.

Yet she was also like the wind in the third month of spring—no matter how high the walls around his heart, she could blow through every crack, stirring up ripples in the still pond.

Xiao Li stared at that hand for two breaths. His eyes filled with a savage intent, as if severing some thought, before he reached out to take it, saying hoarsely in thanks.

Wen Yu lowered her head, about to continue wringing another cloth for him to wipe the blood from his body, when she heard him say: “In the trunk under the clothing, there’s a bottle of wound medicine. Please get it for me.”

Wen Yu then stood up to search through the trunk.

When she returned with the wound medicine bottle, Xiao Li still hadn’t untied the blood-scab-congealed cloth strip that had once again been soaked with blood. He lost patience and was about to tear it off with brute force, but the cloth strips had been wound tightly to begin with. Pulling harder squeezed the wound, instantly causing more fresh blood to flow out.

Beads of fine sweat on his forehead had condensed into soybean-sized droplets rolling down. His eyes were tinged with red, ferocity mixed with wretched brokenness.

Seeing this, Wen Yu placed the wound medicine bottle on the table beside them. She took scissors from the sewing basket and said: “Don’t pull. It’s pressing into the wound and causing bleeding. I’ll cut it off for you with scissors.”

For better lighting, she moved the oil lamp to the edge of the table.

Though Xiao Li still wore his inner garment, by now it had long been soaked through with sweat over more than half its surface. The collar lay open to both sides, and his robust chest was covered with fine beads of sweat that gleamed honey-colored under the dim yellow lamplight.

He was, after all, not made of iron. Having been injured and lost so much blood, then traveling all the way back through wind and snow, he was now somewhat exhausted. He leaned back against the chair and let Wen Yu work.

With each breath, the tight, well-formed muscles on his chest and abdomen seemed to have a life of their own, rising and falling along with it.

Wen Yu kept her eyes half-lowered, not daring to look around carelessly.

If Hou Xiao’an weren’t drunk and Xiao Huiniang weren’t away from home, she would never have taken this task upon herself, no matter what.

But at present, the only one who could help this ruffian was indeed her.

Wen Yu steadied her mind and tried to pull up the cloth strip tied around his waist to cut it with the scissors, but the entire area of his abdomen had already formed blood scabs. The cloth strip and his flesh had been stuck together by the earlier dried blood.

She tried several times without success, instead causing him to grunt in pain. Wen Yu didn’t dare tear at it rashly anymore. She looked up at Xiao Li and said: “The cloth strip is tied too tightly and stuck by the blood scab. I’ll first use some warm water to soften the scab.”

Xiao Li, with sweat beading on his forehead, said “Thank you.” The veins on his arms hanging over the chair had bulged, clearly from enduring pain.

Wen Yu then soaked the cloth in warm water and squeezed it bit by bit onto his waist and abdomen, waiting for the cloth strips and blood scabs to soften.

However, the water squeezed out from the cloth soaked through the strips and continued to trickle down, further dampening Xiao Li’s already bloodstained inner garment and trousers.

The winter night was cold. The cloth soaked by warm water quickly became ice-cold.

Then in the next instant, hot liquid trickled down again.

The waist and abdomen were inherently sensitive areas. In this alternation between warm and cold, Xiao Li felt as if his brain had also been turned into a puddle of mush by the warm water flow.

In the room full of heavy bloody smell, whether because someone else had lived here for a while, his nostrils could vaguely detect another faint, elusive fragrance. He looked at Wen Yu’s profile illuminated by the dim yellow lamplight and a section of her jade-like nape, and suddenly felt thirsty. He simply closed his eyes and silently recited the array formulas that crazy old man had once taught him.

Wen Yu saw that the cloth strips had softened enough. She used her fingertips to lift a little, preparing to cut with the scissors. This made her fingertips unavoidably touch the tight, warm texture of his waist and abdomen.

She also felt somewhat embarrassed, but understanding this was an urgent moment, she forcibly suppressed that bit of shame about propriety between men and women and carefully twisted up the cloth strips bit by bit, cutting them off.

When cutting the tightly bound places, she even had to wedge a finger between his waist and abdomen and the cloth to hold it.

Xiao Li could feel the sensation of that finger pressed against his abdominal muscles—soft, tender, smooth.

Even with his eyes closed, he could imagine Wen Yu’s face at this moment reflecting the dim light, focused yet cool in expression.

Like the golden round moon reflected on the water’s surface on a Mid-Autumn night—knowing it was beyond reach, yet seeming within grasp.

It was truly killing him.

Xiao Li’s Adam’s apple moved. Feeling that finger continuing to move around his waist and abdomen, he thought he must have been affected by tonight’s bloodshed, even feeling somewhat breathless.

He opened his eyelids, abruptly snatched the scissors from Wen Yu’s hand, and said: “I’ll do it myself.”

Disregarding the pain of tugging at the wound, he twisted up the remaining small section of cloth strip and cut it cleanly with one snip. After tossing the scissors aside, he forced himself to slow his breathing.

He didn’t dare pant in front of Wen Yu, because that would truly make him a scoundrel.

He just felt today was truly cursed.

Seeing his abnormal reaction, Wen Yu asked in confusion: “Did I pull at your wound?”

Xiao Li stared at her face still marked with rash spots, trying to clear his head. But looking at her eyes reflecting warm light, her bright red plump lips, and that expression showing some bewilderment mixed with concern, he suddenly felt what little rationality he had left was about to be killed off.

He lowered his eyes, grabbed the cloth on the table and roughly wiped the blood traces on his waist, only saying: “No.”

After a cursory wipe, he took the wound medicine and poured it all onto the wound.

This wound medicine was potent. As soon as it was sprinkled on, it was like being fried in hot oil. His body quickly broke out in more sweat, veins bulging at his temples, but it did drive away the improper thoughts in his mind.

After getting through the most painful moment, he tore a clean inner garment into cloth strips to wrap around the wound. His hands still couldn’t help trembling slightly.

Wen Yu, worried he would catch cold, went outside to transfer the remaining charcoal from the fire pit into a brazier. When she carried it in and saw this scene, she hesitated before saying: “Let me do it.”

She took the cloth strip from his hand and wrapped it around his waist and abdomen twice. Because of the close distance and because he was now bare-chested, each person’s breathing was clearly audible to the other.

Wen Yu lowered her eyes, her gaze focused only on the cloth strip in her hands.

But whether from applying the medicine or not, he seemed to be emanating heat. That warmth, carrying his scent, penetrated every crack and entered her nostrils, making Wen Yu feel slightly uncomfortable.

The oil lamp cast their shadows diagonally onto the wall by the bed. At a glance, it looked as if they were embracing intimately.

She concentrated on tying the knot. A drop of sweat unexpectedly hit the back of her hand. She lifted her eyes and heard Xiao Li say hoarsely: “Sorry.”

His breathing was heavy, both eyelids and chin beaded with sweat. The muscles on his shoulders and back seemed to be tightened from enduring pain, hard as rock.

From this position, he could easily gather her entire person into his arms with just a slight lift of his arm.

He just didn’t dare move, and couldn’t move.

Wen Yu lowered her lashes and said “It’s fine,” speeding up her hand movements. But from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a scar on his front shoulder, looking like an old burn.

That position on the shoulder… how had he gotten burned there?

Wen Yu wondered only for an instant. After tying the knot, she stepped back and said: “You have an injury. Rest in the room tonight.”

She guessed that whatever he had done tonight—whether killing or robbing—couldn’t be known by others. She had no intention of asking more questions. After greeting him, she picked up the water basin to go outside.

But Xiao Li called out to her: “Wait.”

Wen Yu turned back and saw him lean forward to retrieve an item wrapped in oilcloth from his discarded clothing. After unwrapping the oilcloth, inside was a ledger.

Xiao Li handed the ledger to her: “Help me transcribe this account book once. I’ll owe you a favor.”

Wen Yu accepted it with some hesitation: “This is?”

Xiao Li answered: “My boss’s weakness.”

Wen Yu glanced at the words on the ledger cover and asked: “You went out tonight for this ledger?”

Xiao Li didn’t respond, but he didn’t deny it either.

Wen Yu knew she shouldn’t ask more, but still frowned and said: “Did it involve a murder case?”

This time Xiao Li shook his head, his expression somewhat gloomy, saying: “I didn’t kill anyone.”

Master Han wanted him to kill Hu Xianbai and retrieve the ledger, but when he went to stake out the location based on Master Han’s intelligence, he discovered it was a trap.

Hu Xianbai had handed the ledger over to the He family early on. Appearing there was just to act as bait for fishing.

Xiao Li didn’t know at first. He had kidnapped Hu Xianbai to force him to reveal where the ledger was hidden. He had planned to take the ledger, let the other party go back to his hometown, and not appear in Yong City anymore. Who would have thought that to save his life, Hu Xianbai confessed that the ledger was already in Master He’s carriage, and he was just a discarded pawn of the He family.

Realizing he’d fallen into a trap, Xiao Li threw the man down and tried to escape, but was surrounded by the canal gang men who had been lying in ambush there all along.

The Han and He families had long-standing grudges. Their gambling house people and the canal gang often fought fiercely over territory.

Having obtained Master Han’s ledger, the He family knew Master Han would definitely send his capable subordinates to try to take it back. They deliberately set up this trap, attempting to make Master Han not only fail to recover the ledger but also lose a capable lieutenant.

Relying on his martial arts skills, Xiao Li had managed to escape with injuries, but Hu Xianbai was stabbed to death by the canal gang people, who wanted to frame him for it.

Xiao Li knew clearly that although he had covered his face, currently under Master Han, the most prominent and most useful person was him. Even if the He family hadn’t seen his face clearly, they would insist he was the murderer and send him to prison again.

This time it might not be hard labor, but execution.

If he hadn’t obtained the ledger, Master Han himself would be caught by his weak point by the He family and certainly wouldn’t protect him.

So he had to retrieve this leverage to have capital to negotiate with Master Han.

After escaping, Xiao Li dragged his injured body to follow the He family’s carriage all the way. He found an opportunity to knock out the coachman and Master He inside, retrieved the ledger from the hidden compartment, and returned through the snow.

Master Han was always capricious. Xiao Li wanted to transcribe the ledger because he was afraid that even after getting the item, the man would still turn his back on him. He wanted to keep a backup.

Hearing him say he hadn’t killed anyone, Wen Yu only said: “Auntie has been very worried about you these days.”

Xiao Li said: “There won’t be such things in the future.”

Since he said so, Wen Yu didn’t say more. She took out the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone she had previously bought to sketch the fan base design and began transcribing the ledger.

The table in the room was small. Since Wen Yu was using the chair to copy the accounts, Xiao Li could only sit on the edge of the bed.

This was clearly his own room. Even the bedding was what he had used before. But sitting on it now, he felt uncomfortable everywhere, as if he had intruded into someone else’s boudoir.

Xiao Li pressed down those messy thoughts and leaned against the bedpost, watching Wen Yu’s profile as she transcribed the accounts.

When she held a brush, her spine was always perfectly straight, like a resilient bamboo. Her thick, dark lashes were half-lowered, the tips catching a soft halo of light, lifting in a beautiful arc. The bit of her eyes that could vaguely be seen were like dots of lacquer, appearing especially cool because of her intense focus—making one reluctant to disturb her.

Her nose bridge was elegant and straight. Fine down on her face was faintly visible. When illuminated by the lamplight, it seemed to emit a soft glow, making even those faint rash marks appear lively and endearing.

Realizing he was once again staring at her face in a daze, Xiao Li quickly shifted his gaze to look at her written characters.

He knew few characters and couldn’t write himself, but he had seen quite a few others’ calligraphy.

Wen Yu’s characters were not like the typical graceful, elegant writing of ordinary young women. Her father the Prince excelled at running-cursive script. Her characters were learned from her father. Later her mother said it wasn’t quite proper for a young woman to write wild running-cursive script and found her a female teacher skilled in floral hairpin-style small regular script.

However, Wen Yu’s brush style had already been formed. Even after copying countless copybooks of floral hairpin small regular script, when she put brush to paper, she still couldn’t achieve proper, standard form.

Her father had once teased her, saying that other people’s floral hairpin small regular script was truly like “carved flowers on hairpins,” while her floral hairpin small regular script resembled “brandishing knives and swords.”

Xiao Li stared at it for a while and suddenly said: “Your characters are beautiful.”

Wen Yu’s brush tip paused. Remembering she had previously deceived him by saying she had only learned a few characters from her brother, she said: “I’m just copying the gourd to draw the ladle, copying what I see. Not worth praising.”

Xiao Li said: “I have eyes.”

The conversation died right there.

Wen Yu didn’t respond further, only silently continued helping him copy the accounts.

Xiao Li watched her write for a while longer, his gaze falling on her hand holding the brush. He only felt that the back of her hand, reflecting the dim yellow lamplight, was also smooth as mutton-fat jade.

He secretly despised himself for being able to develop improper thoughts even from looking at a hand. Just as he was about to shift his gaze away, he suddenly froze.

Something’s wrong!

Where were the rashes on the back of her hand?

Xiao Li’s gaze shot toward the basin of water still placed in the room, then looked at the rash marks on her face that had never healed, and suddenly understood something.

No wonder she suddenly wanted to buy rouge, then barely used it after buying it.

Xiao Li felt as if a great bell was striking in his chest, one strike after another, making his entire heart feel numb.

He stared at her for a long time before asking: “Is A’Yu your real name?”

Wen Yu didn’t know why he suddenly asked this. This time her brush tip paused quite a while, dripping a blob of ink onto the paper. She quickly set down the brush and twisted up the rice paper to prevent the paper underneath from also being stained with ink.

Unfortunately, the table was too small, and the ledger was inadvertently knocked to the floor by her.

Wen Yu was about to pick it up when Xiao Li bent down first to retrieve it.

He held it by the spine with the pages facing down. A letter that had been tucked inside fell out.

Both of them froze at the sight.

Wen Yu picked it up and discovered the letter was sealed, but had no addressee written on it—only a personal seal stamped on the wax.

She handed it to Xiao Li, diverting from his earlier question, saying: “It’s an unopened letter. I don’t know if it belongs to your boss or someone else.”

Xiao Li didn’t take it. His eyes in the lamplight were somewhat inscrutable. After thinking for a moment, he said: “Open it and read it to me.”

This ledger had been given by Hu Xianbai to the He family. If there were letters from his boss inside, they should have been opened and read long ago. So this letter was either from Hu Xianbai to the He family, or something Old Master He had obtained elsewhere tonight and casually tucked into the accounts.

Xiao Li leaned more toward the latter. After all, if Hu Xianbai could see Old Master He in person, why would he need to write him a letter?

If this letter was also some weakness of the He family, he could collect both principal and interest on that old grudge.

Wen Yu used scissors to pick open the wax seal, took out the letter inside, and unfolded it before the oil lamp, about to read aloud. But her pupils suddenly contracted, and her complexion paled somewhat in that instant.

Seeing her expression was wrong, Xiao Li quickly asked: “What’s wrong? What does the letter say?”

Wen Yu looked carefully over the letter’s contents twice more, then picked up the envelope to examine it, as if trying to find some clue from it. But the hand holding the envelope was also trembling somewhat beyond her control.

Xiao Li frowned and grabbed one of her wrists, trying to calm her down. But he was shocked to find her wrist was ice-cold. In his impression, she had never panicked to this degree before. He couldn’t help asking again: “What on earth does the letter say?”

Wen Yu lifted her head and asked him with a bloodless face: “Who is Huo Kun? Where did you get this letter?”

Xiao Li’s brow furrowed even tighter as he said: “There are plenty of people in the world named Huo Kun. How would I know which one you’re asking about? This letter, along with the ledger, I took from the He family…”

Speaking to this point, his words suddenly stopped. “The Vice Commander of Yong Province… is also called Huo Kun. The He family relies on his backing to do their canal transport business.”

His gaze fell on the letter in Wen Yu’s hand, his expression becoming grave in that instant: “This letter was written by Huo Kun to the He family?”

Wen Yu shook her head. One wrist was still being gripped by Xiao Li, while her other hand propped against the table to barely stand.

She tried her utmost to remain calm, thinking through all still-viable methods, saying: “Quick, you go bring Auntie and the others back. I’ll wake up Xiao’an. We need to have them find somewhere to hide first…”

Though Xiao Li realized things were bad, he still couldn’t think of what could make her panic like this. He said: “You have to tell me what the letter actually says, how big a mess this is. If something happens, I’ll shoulder it myself. Why are you panicking!”

Wen Yu stared into his eyes. Though she repeatedly tried to calm herself, her voice still trembled slightly: “Huo Kun is a traitor under Pei Song. This letter was written by him to Pei Song, saying that after repeated persuasion, the Provincial Governor of Yong Province has no intention of surrendering. Though he has great talent, he’s of no use to them, asking Pei Song whether to kill him and take his place, then proclaim to the world that Yong Province has also submitted to the Pei clan!”

Xiao Li was obviously also stunned for a moment, as if he hadn’t yet sorted out the threads from this information: “Huo Kun wants to rebel?”

Wen Yu couldn’t describe the sense of powerlessness in her heart at this moment. She said: “Yong Province currently isn’t under Huo Kun’s control. Having lost such an important letter, even if he keeps his composure and doesn’t jump the gun with a military rebellion first, he’ll dig three feet into the ground to find the letter.”

“Since the He family was supported by Huo Kun and runs the canal transport business, they must have always been secretly delivering these letters for him. Losing a letter—something that could cost them their heads—they wouldn’t dare hide it. By now they’ve probably already reported the lost letter to Huo Kun.”

She looked at Xiao Li: “The letter was tucked in the ledger. As long as they find the ledger, they can find the letter. And who would go to such lengths to obtain this ledger except your boss?”

Wen Yu didn’t finish the rest, but Xiao Li’s expression also darkened in that instant.

With this matter on his hands, Master Han himself might not be able to keep his own head. That he would hand Xiao Li over to take the blame was something even a fool could predict.

When he dragged his injured body to obtain this ledger, he had still been thinking that with this leverage, the murder case the He family had framed him for wouldn’t be pinned on him. In the future, he might have hope of leaving the gambling house like Brother Song.

He had already brought his godmothers out of Zuihong Tower. In the future, doing some small business would be enough to provide for their old age and final years. When Xiao’an grew a bit older and the outside world wasn’t so chaotic anymore, he would take that brat to see the Luodu he had been thinking about for so many years.

In just an instant, all of this had become bubbles.

Xiao Li reflected on his life of being toyed with by fate and suddenly found it somewhat laughable.

He suddenly felt a bit regretful. Why had he only knocked out Old Master He and the coachman at the time?

But… even if he had killed them, what then?

If Old Master He didn’t return for a long time, the He family would certainly send servants to look for him. Yong City was only so big. Once the city gates closed at night, where could two living people and a carriage hide?

Perhaps having seen the worst possible outcome all at once, Xiao Li became unusually calm. Staring at the letter that Wen Yu had opened, he asked jokingly: “If I put this letter back as it was, seal it with wax matching the seal impression, can it be salvaged?”

Wen Yu shook her head, her eyes tinged with faint red as she looked at him: “This letter, regardless of whether you’ve read it or not, as long as it’s passed through your hands, they would rather kill wrongly than leave anyone alive.”

Xiao Li seemed to ponder for a moment before standing up to put on his clothes: “You take my mother and Xiao’an and the others to hide first. I’ll take this letter to see the Provincial Governor.”

Wen Yu called out to stop him: “You can’t!”

Xiao Li turned his head to look. She explained: “The only chance of survival is indeed here, but if Huo Kun knows the letter is lost, the first thing he’ll guard against is the letter being delivered to the Provincial Governor. All roads leading to the Governor’s mansion must already have ambushes set. If you rashly go, you’ll only be throwing your life away. Even if you’re lucky enough to reach the Governor’s mansion, if Huo Kun panics and launches the military rebellion first, then everything you’ve done will be in vain. You still won’t be able to save your own life, and also… won’t be able to save Auntie and Xiao’an’s lives.”

By the end, Wen Yu’s voice already carried a hoarse quality.

That was also a situation she was unwilling to see. She hoped Xiao Huiniang and Xiao’an could all live well.

Xiao Li’s tall figure froze there, like a cornered beast driven into a dead end. After a long while, he finally spoke: “Then what can I still do?”

Once Huo Kun closed the city gates, even if he hid with Xiao Huiniang and the others, being found would only be a matter of time.

He closed his eyes and slowly said: “A’Yu, teach me.”

“As long as I can preserve my mother and the others.”

Wen Yu’s heart felt stifled by his calling her “A’Yu.” Setting aside the Xiao family’s kindness to her, knowing that the Provincial Governor was loyal to Great Liang, for Fengyang’s sake alone, she absolutely could not let Yong Province fall into Pei Song’s hands like this.

She stared at the bean-sized lamp flame on the table and said: “There’s still one method we can gamble on.”

—

Wind swept up heavy snow like goose down. In the deep black night, chaotic hoofbeats sounded in the streets and alleys.

Every ordinary household had their doors tightly closed. Even if children were awakened and started to cry, their voices were immediately muffled.

The hoofbeats stopped outside a grand mansion. Armored, sword-bearing soldiers went forward to pound on the door with loud bangs.

“Coming, coming…” The gatekeeper got up and dressed. Just as he removed the door bolt, the gate was already violently kicked open by the soldiers.

The gatekeeper looked at the torches burning outside and the mass of dark soldiers, already panicking, and asked tremulously: “Officers, what… what… what has my master done?”

But the soldier who kicked in the door drew his blade and stabbed it into the gatekeeper’s abdomen, shouting: “Han Tangzong has seized farmland, driven farmers to death, and bribed county officials for personal gain. We’ve come tonight especially to arrest him!”

The soldiers behind him swarmed in like black ants. The lights in the Han mansion lit up one after another. Maids and servants hadn’t yet dressed when these armored, sword-bearing soldiers kicked in their doors, frightening them into crying and screaming.

Master Han, wearing a silver fox fur cloak, threw open the door of the main room and shouted: “What’s happening?”

Behind him on the soft silk bed canopy, a delicate concubine with bare arms clutched a brocade quilt to cover herself, timidly poking her head out to look.

The soldier leader, carrying a blood-stained sword, walked toward the main room and sneered: “Your good days are over, Han Tangzong!”

In a moment, Han Tangzong, wearing only a single garment, was bound hand and foot and brought to the mansion gate.

He was forced to kneel on the bluestone pavement covered with a layer of cold frost. The cold penetrated the thin silk cloth, freezing his kneecaps with needle-like piercing pain.

He strained to lift his head, looking up at the person on horseback, and asked hoarsely: “General Huo, what crime has Han committed to warrant such great fanfare from you?”

A bodyguard half-crouched beside the war horse. Huo Kun stepped on his back to dismount, paced to Han Tangzong’s front, and bent down slightly to ask him: “My item—where is it?”

He was in his early thirties, kept a short beard on his chin. Though his build appeared lean from his military background, it was also capable and sturdy. When his hawk-like eyes stared at people intently, their sinister quality nearly overflowed.

Han Tangzong was both panicked and bewildered, asking: “What item of yours do I have here?”

Huo Kun backhanded a whip across Han Tangzong’s face and said menacingly: “Still want to play dumb with me? The item tucked in the ledger you took back from the He family!”

Han Tangzong hadn’t thought at all that retrieving a ledger—this minor squabble with the He family—could bring Huo Kun out personally. Hearing him mention something tucked in the ledger, he realized the gravity of the situation and quickly pleaded through the whip mark on his face: “General, please see clearly—it was my ledger that was stolen by a traitor who wanted to hand it to the He family. I was just sending someone to chase that traitor and retrieve the ledger. But the person I sent hasn’t come to see me yet. What was in the ledger, I know nothing about!”

Huo Kun’s expression grew even more sinister as he asked: “Who did you send to retrieve it?”

Han Tangzong quickly said: “Xiao Li! That Xiao Li who lives in South Third Lane! He has a grudge against the He family. General, if you have any items deposited with the He family that were lost, most likely he took them along to get revenge on the He family!”

Attempting to completely extricate himself, Han Tangzong’s little schemes were obvious to Huo Kun, who only sneered once and ordered his subordinates: “Seal up the Han family.”

He then mounted his horse and rode toward South Third Lane with a whip crack.

Han Tangzong was also lifted onto a horse’s back by the bodyguards and brought along to point out the location.

Arriving at South Third Lane, having ridden through the cold wind all the way in thin clothing, Han Tangzong was now frozen with purple-blue hands and face. Dismounting, he couldn’t even stand, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Huo Kun asked coldly from horseback: “Which household is the Xiao Family?”

Han Tangzong immediately couldn’t be bothered with the cold that made his entire body ache with piercing pain. He strained to make out the houses by the light of the torches, pointing at the household at the very edge while shivering: “That one.”

Immediately, soldiers went forward to ram the door.

The worn wooden door couldn’t bear the assault. After just a few strikes, the door bolt broke and the door panels crashed against the walls on either side with a loud “clang.”

The narrow courtyard was pitch black, and the house was also silent and still.

The soldiers surged in holding torches and kicked open the door of the main room.

Huo Kun sat on horseback with his eyes closed, waiting. Before long, the squad leader who had gone to search came out quickly to report: “General, there’s no one in the house!”

Huo Kun suddenly lifted his eyelids and asked in a cold voice: “Have you searched all the places like the attic and cellar?”

The squad leader nodded, saying: “We’ve searched all the places where people could hide!”

Huo Kun’s gaze cut coldly toward Han Tangzong, who was huddled to one side, frozen and trembling all over.

Han Tangzong knew in his heart that for Huo Kun to personally come out in the middle of the night to search must mean that what Xiao Li had taken was something extraordinary. Something that could be tucked into account books was most likely a letter. Fearing for his own neck, he hurriedly said: “That fellow surnamed Xiao is illiterate. He also acquired another property. If he’s not here tonight, he must be at his newly acquired property!”

Huo Kun asked: “Where is his newly acquired property?”

Han Tangzong’s heart tightened: “This… this humble one doesn’t know at the moment.”

Sensing the aura around Huo Kun suddenly turn icy cold, he quickly added: “But his neighbors surely know something about it!”

Huo Kun then gestured to his guard. The guard understood and went forward to knock on the door of the residence neighboring the Xiao Family.

The man who opened the door saw the dark mass of armed soldiers standing outside and was so frightened his legs went soft. Whatever the soldiers asked, he answered everything. When he was brought along to identify Xiao Li’s newly purchased residence, his legs were still shaking uncontrollably.

The newly purchased house was someone else’s old residence. The soldiers rammed open the door and swarmed inside like locusts for a thorough search. They came out and reported with cupped fists: “General, there’s still no one inside!”

Huo Kun’s expression grew even more gloomy. He beckoned a guard forward and whispered some instructions in his ear. That guard mounted his horse and hurried away.

Only then did he look toward Han Tangzong, who was trembling either from cold or fear, and slowly drew the saber at his waist: “If your subordinate is illiterate, why would he flee with his whole family?”

A cold wind suddenly rose. Han Tangzong’s gaunt frame beneath his loose white silk undergarment seemed to be nothing but a skeleton.

He kept backing away, throwing out every chip he had to save his life: “Your Excellency… Your Excellency, I too can serve Your Excellency like the He Family did. All my properties in Yong City can be offered to Your Excellency! If Your Excellency spares my life, this humble one is willing to work like an ox or horse at your command!”

Huo Kun remained unmoved. With a “clang” he had already drawn his blade and was about to swing it down when urgent hoofbeats sounded from behind. A squad leader reined in his horse, rolled off the horse’s back, and half-knelt to present a letter: “General! This subordinate went to seal the gambling house as ordered and discovered this on the gambling house’s main door!”

Huo Kun unfolded the paper. After reading it, his expression eased somewhat. He tossed the letter to Han Tangzong, then lowered his voice to instruct the squad leader: “Go notify Huo Feng that there’s no need to move troops into the city. Just stay at camp and await orders for now.”

The squad leader cupped his fists, mounted his horse again, and rode away.

After Han Tangzong made out the writing on the paper by firelight, he finally felt he had come back to life. Cold wind poured into his chest, bone-chillingly cold, yet he was almost weeping with joy as he pointed at the letter: “Your Excellency, that fellow surnamed Xiao is just an ungrateful wretch! He got hold of the account books and wants to use them to extort a sum of money from me, that’s why he’s hiding with his mother!”

Written prominently on the letter was: “Three quarters past the hour of the Snake, five li outside the West City Gate, prepare a carriage with five hundred taels in banknotes inside. The account books will be returned intact.”

Huo Kun jerked the reins to turn his horse around. He glanced at the sky and said: “The four city gates were closed at the end of the hour of the Rooster. That scoundrel must still be inside the city. After the city gates open this morning, you all must strictly guard each major city gate. Continue searching within the city as well. You must capture this person!”

He swept a glance at Han Tangzong and pointed with his horsewhip: “Those of your subordinates who recognize that scoundrel should go to the city gates for identification. If the scoundrel still hasn’t shown up before the hour of the Snake, then follow what he said—prepare a carriage and banknotes to go outside the city and set an ambush to capture him!”

Han Tangzong repeatedly said: “Naturally, naturally! After catching that ungrateful wretch, everything will be entirely at Your Excellency’s disposal!”

Huo Kun didn’t listen to any more of his fawning. He urged his horse forward, with his personal guards following closely behind.

He lowered his voice to instruct: “Still keep a tight watch on the Provincial Governor’s Mansion.”

The guard hurriedly said: “This subordinate has already followed your orders and commanded people to blockade all the main routes. Any suspicious persons approaching the Provincial Governor’s Mansion will be killed without exception!”

Huo Kun said: “If the Provincial Governor’s Mansion side notices and lets a fish slip through the net and enter, also report to me immediately.”

The guard bowed his head in acknowledgment.

In the distance came the crowing of roosters announcing dawn. Huo Kun glanced at the sky that had already turned dark and said: “Let’s hope for a good new year.”

—

Madam Xu had stayed up for the New Year’s vigil last night and got up late this morning. A maid had just brought in a water basin for her to wash when the steward woman at her side came in and said: “Madam, there’s an embroiderer outside asking to see you. She says she’s come to deliver the finished embroidered fan.”

Madam Xu had just cleaned her face and was painting her eyebrows before the mirror. Hearing this, her hand paused slightly. After thinking for a while, she remembered that she had indeed commissioned an embroiderer to embroider that fan. She calculated the date and said: “Isn’t it still a few days before the full month?”

The steward woman said with a smile: “Well, it’s New Year’s now. Perhaps she wants to settle the payment early.”

Madam Xu had finished painting one eyebrow, but no matter how she drew the other side, it wasn’t to her satisfaction. She wiped it off with a handkerchief to redraw it and no longer had the mind to ask more about this matter. She said: “If that’s the case, you examine the fan for me. If there are no issues, just give her the money.”

The steward woman said: “That embroiderer says she wants to see you.”

Madam Xu stopped her hand that was painting eyebrows and glanced at the steward woman: “What does she want to see me for?”

The smile on the steward woman’s face deepened: “She embroidered a double-sided embroidery and probably wants to ask for some reward money.”

When Madam Xu heard that what was completed was double-sided embroidery, her expression finally eased somewhat, though she still said: “In less than a month’s time, can this double-sided embroidery even be presentable?”

The steward woman said cheerfully: “This old servant has already examined it on your behalf. The embroidery work and needle arrangement on that fan—if Luodu hadn’t fallen into chaos, it could have been sent to the mansions of those noble families in Luodu.”

This was quite high praise.

Madam Xu was born into an official family, and the steward woman at her side had been brought from her maiden family—she too was someone who had seen the world.

Madam Xu considered briefly and said: “Then you lead her to the side hall. I’ll come over after I change clothes.”

A quarter hour later, Madam Xu appeared in the side hall, supported by a maid’s arm, her ornaments tinkling. When she caught sight of that graceful silhouette standing with her back turned, gazing at the snowy lake scenery outside the window, the words she was about to speak actually froze on her lips.

She considered herself to have seen quite a few beautiful women, but this person before her, with just a single view of her back, seemed to have stepped into a painting, completely overshadowing the lake scenery and snow outside.

It was only when Wen Yu turned around and called out “Madam Xu” that she came back to her senses.

The other party still wore a veil, with a pair of eyes calm as still water. In her own place, Madam Xu suddenly had the strange illusion that she herself seemed to be the guest instead.

Disturbed and flustered by this inexplicable feeling, she sat down with maids clustering around her before she could barely assume the posture of a hostess and said: “I heard you embroidered a double-sided embroidery. Let me take a look.”

But the person standing by the window said: “I came today because I want to discuss another business matter with Madam.”

Perhaps because she carried the lake breeze with her, her voice was also clear and crisp, like water droplets from melting icicles on the eaves striking jade tiles.

Madam Xu used the tea lid to skim the tea foam and laughed: “It’s the first day of the new year, and my household is quite busy. If Miss wishes to discuss a long-term business arrangement, come another day.”

As she spoke, she gestured for her subordinates to see the guest out.

But Wen Yu said: “Does Madam have no interest in the business of swallowing up the Han Family of Yong City?”

Madam Xu’s hand skimming the tea foam paused. She raised her eyes to reappraise Wen Yu: “Miss has quite an audacious tone.”

Wen Yu took out half of an account book and placed it on the table, saying: “With this account book alone, Madam can already snatch a piece of fat meat from the Han Family’s hands. If Madam is willing to do this business with me, after the matter is accomplished, I will present the other half of the account book.”

The subordinate understood and brought the account book to Madam Xu. Madam Xu only flipped through a few pages before her expression changed.

She closed the account book and pressed it against the table, asking Wen Yu: “Your conditions?”

In Wen Yu’s calm eyes surged towering storms as she said: “I would trouble Madam to take me to the Provincial Governor’s Mansion to pay a New Year’s visit.”