Anyone would judge this to be an accidental death caused by trampling, but the man’s dying gaze lingered in Li Si’s mind for a long time, along with the kite string wound around the man’s pinky finger. Li Si’s heart filled with doubts, and he quietly wrapped the kite string around his own finger.
Bai Zhenzhu noticed Li Si’s gloomy mood and asked with concern: “What’s wrong?”
Li Si smiled. “Girl, come with me somewhere.”
“Where? Aren’t you going to wait for the old senior?” Bai Zhenzhu felt afraid when she thought of the icy cold Lao Sitou. Li Si responded: “Let Lao Sitou chat with the dead people a while longer.”
Li Si took Bai Zhenzhu’s hand and ran all the way to the base of the city wall. Earlier, the sky above their heads had been filled with kites—impossible to distinguish which was which—but now above their heads there was only a single kite with a goldfish pattern.
Li Si slowly tightened the kite string. Seeing this, Bai Zhenzhu said in surprise: “Where did the kite string come from?”
“It’s a secret.”
Bai Zhenzhu pouted. “Who cares to know.”
Soon, the goldfish kite descended. Li Si observed carefully and discovered a rolled-up section of yellow paper stuck to the support rod on the fish’s back. Unrolling the yellow paper, nine characters were clearly visible: “To seek the truth, west city, Blind Xu Niang.”
“Why is there yellow paper hidden in the kite? What truth is this referring to?” Bai Zhenzhu became curious about this.
“Ha, I’m afraid only Blind Xu Niang can answer you.” Li Si placed the yellow paper inside his robe.
What exactly was the truth? Without a doubt, Li Si very much wanted to know as well.
At the Zhu residence in Yinshuang City, Huo Daozhang carried refreshments to the outside of a secluded small room and knocked respectfully on the door. From the other side of the door came a slight coughing sound. Huo Daozhang pushed the door open and entered.
The small room was elegant and simple, guaranteeing to the maximum extent that everything inside the room could be seen at a glance. Huo Daozhang was very satisfied with this point. Purple gauze hung around the pear wood bed, and a thin, slight figure was hidden behind the gauze.
Huo Daozhang moved the refreshments forward and said gently: “Young Highness, please have some refreshments.”
The person behind the gauze spoke, but the voice was so faint that only Huo Daozhang alone could hear it. After listening, Huo Daozhang nodded and said: “In response to Young Highness, the Goddess Nüwa Temple is right here in Yinshuang City. Young Highness has had an exhausting journey. Please rest well these next two days. Once I’ve made proper arrangements, the day after tomorrow we’ll go to the Goddess Nüwa Temple early in the morning to pray for blessings.”
Huo Daozhang carefully retreated from the small room. Standing in the corridor for a moment, he went toward the front courtyard. Huo Daozhang didn’t realize at all that his every movement fell completely into another person’s eyes. After Huo Daozhang’s back disappeared, this person also slipped out of the Zhu residence’s back door without a sound.
A hundred zhang from the Zhu residence was Yinshuang City’s county yamen. The local official, County Magistrate Wang Hang, stood properly and obediently in his own study. Without moving his expression, he glanced at the person sitting upright before him. This seated person was around fifty years old, with a full forehead and thin lips. What left the deepest impression were his eyes—his hawk-like gaze seemed as if it could see through to your innermost heart in an instant.
“Commissioner, my lord,” Wang Hang cautiously spoke.
The person with hawk-like eyes was none other than Wang Hang’s direct superior, Zhang Xianglin, Commissioner of Bei’an Central Prefecture.
Zhang Xianglin looked at Wang Hang as if trying to see through him. “You were recommended for official service to the court by Prince Kang two years ago. In just over a year, your political achievements have been remarkable. Next year you’ll certainly be promoted another step. Prince Kang truly has a discerning eye for talent. Lord Ling must not disappoint Prince Kang’s high expectations of you.”
“Ling Gong” was Wang Hang’s courtesy name from his traveling study days. Wang Hang bowed deeply. “Thank you for Commissioner’s earnest teachings. Wang Hang will remember them in his heart.”
Zhang Xianglin nodded approvingly. “Actually, not only Prince Kang—these past two years Prince Ding has also frequently mentioned you. He says Qingzhou has a Lord Ling, unrivaled in both poetry and prose, who is diligent and conscientious as both a person and an official, putting his heart into his work. Half a month ago, Prince Ding even instructed me to come to Yinshuang City to pay Lord Ling a visit and convey his regard. Prince Ding’s favor toward Lord Ling makes even me jealous.”
When Zhang Xianglin mentioned Prince Ding, Wang Hang understood perfectly. Zhang Xianglin was one of Prince Ding’s trusted confidants. Three years ago he was transferred to the post of Bei’an Commissioner, on the one hand to mediate and win over Prince Kang, and on the other hand to keep watch over Bei’an, this gateway connecting to Qingzhou.
Wang Hang replied: “What virtue or ability does Wang Hang possess to deserve Prince Ding’s regard? I’m truly ashamed.”
Zhang Xianglin waved his hand. “Haha, let’s not speak of it anymore. In any case, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to come find me. Neither Prince Ding nor I will stand by and watch. You must be extremely attentive.”
Wang Hang bowed deeply again, listening respectfully.
“That’s all then. I still need to visit an old friend. I’ll take my leave first.”
Wang Hang saw Zhang Xianglin out of the county yamen. Two people stood in the shadows of the alley corner outside the yamen. As soon as Zhang Xianglin appeared, they flashed to Zhang Xianglin’s left and right. Neither person had much expression on their face. One wore shabby gray clothes, while the other wore a purple front-opening cloak. On his bare arm was tattooed a horrifying design of five poisonous creatures and skulls.
“Wu Du, keep a close watch on Huo Daozhang and Wang Hang. See if there’s any secret contact between them,” Zhang Xianglin said in a low voice.
The person in the purple cloak nodded.
“The time is about right. Chou Kui, it’s time for you to do your work.” Zhang Xianglin turned toward the gray-clothed man.
A cold gleam passed over the gray-clothed man’s face. Without a word, he turned and left.
Li Si and Bai Zhenzhu were returning to the inn to find Lao Sitou. Turning past two streets, they saw from a distance a grain shop where someone was distributing porridge. Around the porridge tent were twenty or thirty people, among them a man whose left shoulder was bare despite the dead of winter. Li Si had seen this man at the city gate, and he had left an unusual impression on him.
“Young sir, could you give a bit more porridge? This bowl is too small—I can’t eat my fill!” One of those receiving porridge begged.
A steward at the porridge tent said coldly: “Take it or leave it. We’re giving you food for free and you’re still being picky. If you have the ability, go to a wine house to eat meat and drink wine. What are you making a fuss about here?”
“You… you…” The earlier person was somewhat choked with anger.
“Hmph, if it weren’t for Yinshuang City’s wealthiest man, the great philanthropist Cui, taking pity on you disaster refugees, would you even have this meal to eat? Dream on!” the steward snorted.
“Since you’re doing a good deed, you should at least let people eat their fill. We can go without, but our elderly and children are still hungry.”
The steward glared with angry eyebrows. “Damn it all, now you’re really pushing it. Pack it up, pack it up! I’d rather feed this porridge to pigs and dogs or pour it out than give it to you bastards!”
“How dare you curse at people?!” The refugees said indignantly.
“Not only will I curse, I’ll beat you too!” The steward picked up a wooden club and swung it over. Li Si watched with anger rising in his heart, planning to go over and help. Unexpectedly, a hand shot out from the side and gripped the steward’s wrist. The steward’s fat face instantly turned the color of pig liver, and the person gripping his hand was none other than the bare-shouldered man.
The man stared at the steward and said coldly: “We are human beings, not bastards. We’re different from you.”
“Let’s go!” The man pushed the steward away and led the crowd off.
“How detestable! I wanted to rush up and give that steward a beating.” Bai Zhenzhu said, clenching her fists.
Li Si gazed at the bare-shouldered man’s retreating back. “Let’s go. Lao Sitou will really be getting impatient.”
Returning to the inn, Lao Sitou was buried headfirst on the bed sleeping. Wu Wen said in a small voice: “The old senior couldn’t find you two and got very angry. When he came back he burrowed into the bedding and hasn’t come out.”
This Lao Sitou’s childish temperament was getting more and more severe—he really could compete with Bai Zhenzhu. Li Si cleared his throat, then poured out everything about the tragic case at the kite performance, the kite string, and the message left on the yellow paper.
Finally Li Si said: “What a pity. We’re completely unfamiliar with this enormous Yinshuang City. Where in the west city would we find such a Blind Xu Niang? Alas!”
With a whoosh, Lao Sitou sat up from the bed and spoke in an icy cold, slow tone: “You all aren’t familiar, but I am.”