Prefect Chi took the matter of raiding the Wu household very seriously. He personally ordered Chief Secretary Xia to lead the operation, selecting fifty capable yamen runners and five clerks from the Revenue Bureau who were well-versed in accounting. The team set off in grand formation, and in just half a day they moved swiftly and decisively, loading ten horse-drawn carts before returning to the prefecture office — bringing the raid to a perfect close.

Naturally, exactly how much silver and property had been confiscated, and how much of it was properly catalogued and entered into the treasury, was not something a mere judicial adjutant could stick his nose into.

The only task Hua Yitang had assigned Wu Da was to bring back every letter, promissory note, and written record of Wu Zhengli’s dealings with others.

Wu Da did indeed bring them back. Hua Yitang turned the entire pile of letters and documents inside out and found not a single letter of any value, nor any promissory note connected to gambling debts. It was obvious that someone had destroyed all written evidence before Chief Secretary Xia’s team arrived.

Hua Yitang came away empty-handed and was thoroughly displeased. He stood before the clue-mapping wall, fanning himself and staring blankly into space.

Fortunately, Ling Zhiyan discovered a new lead in the embroidery shop’s client registry.

“There are two familiar names in the ledger of Xichun Embroidery Shop on Huamao Lane in the East Market,” Ling Zhiyan held up the ledger for everyone to see. “On the first day of the fourth month, Year Seven of Xuanfeng, a Minian from Yongzhou Quarter ordered one hawthorn-blossom folding screen. On the third day of the fourth month, Year Seven of Xuanfeng, Duan Hongning from Hongxiang Quarter ordered one hawthorn-blossom silk handkerchief.” He flipped forward a few pages. “On the fifteenth day of the fourth month, Year Seven of Xuanfeng, embroiderer Lian Xiaoshuang of Jinxi Quarter supplied one hawthorn-blossom folding screen and five hawthorn-blossom silk handkerchiefs — payment settled in full.”

Jin Ruo said, “Perhaps it’s just a coincidence?”

Ling Zhiyan shook his head. “It’s not only Xichun Embroidery Shop. The two other shops Lian Xiaoshuang frequented — Yuanliu Embroidery Shop on Yuanxi Street in the North Market and Fangyu Embroidery Shop on Jinting Road in the West Market — have identical orders. Duan Hongning and Minian would place orders at the start of the month, and Lian Xiaoshuang would deliver on the fifteenth. This pattern repeated almost every month, except the orders were spread across different shops and the intervals varied, making them difficult to notice. This went on for roughly a year and a half — right up until Lian Xiaoshuang was seized by Wu Zhengli and taken to his private residence.”

Jin Ruo nodded. “They must have arranged it in advance.”

“If Lian Xiaoshuang is the pipa player who stays at Minian’s side, it’s not strange that she’d know Duan Hongning. What’s strange is — why go to such lengths to meet so secretively?” Lin Sui’an scratched her head. “Could they be hiding something?”

“Perhaps we should pay Madam Duan a visit,” Ling Zhiyan said.

Lin Sui’an’s eyes immediately lit up. “How right you are, Director Ling! Let’s set out at once!”

Oh, Hongxiang Quarter in Yidu! It must be full of beauties — what a spectacular sight that would be!

“Hold on,” Hua Yitang suddenly cut in. “There’s another location that needs investigating.”

He tapped the characters reading “gambling den” at the bottom of the clue wall with his fan. “The Fangyuan Gambling Den that Wu Zhengli frequented is sure to have leads on Lian Xiaoshuang’s lover. Before, we held back out of caution for the Wuling Alliance’s influence — biding our time, not daring to act rashly. But after last night’s battle at Sanhua Tower —”

“We’ve already crossed them anyway, so we might as well go all the way and give those bastards a good thrashing!” Jin Ruo punched the air and shouted. “I’ll send word to Altar Master Gan right now, have her send over some good fighters —”

“We’re going to gather intelligence, not start a brawl!” Lin Sui’an smacked the back of Jin Ruo’s head. “Always itching to fight — do you even know what it means to win people over with virtue when you walk the jianghu?!”

Jin Ruo clutched his head and looked deeply aggrieved. “Master, don’t you feel embarrassed saying things like that?”

Lin Sui’an shot him a glare. Jin Ruo shrank his neck and didn’t dare say another word.

“A mere gambling den — no need to make such a fuss. Hua and Lin Sui’an alone are more than enough…” Hua Yitang said, then his eyes darted sideways. “Yita, come along and play a round with us.”

Yita pulled a face. “Yita. Hate. Gambling dens.”

Lin Sui’an said, “We’ll buy you and Qinglong and the others white sugar cakes on the way back.”

Only then did Yita nod, reluctantly.

“As for the fourth young master… that…” Ling Zhiyan covered his mouth with his fist and hesitated awkwardly. “I’m not skilled at chatting with women. How about I go with Lin Niangzi to the gambling den, and the fourth young master goes with Jin Ruo to Hongxiang Quarter instead?”

Hua Yitang blinked his large eyes. “I don’t mind at all — but I’ve heard the Fangyuan Gambling Den requires proof of funds at the door. Anyone with less than fifty strings of cash cannot enter. Does Sixth Brother have enough?”

Ling Zhiyan made his decision instantly. “I’ll go to Hongxiang Quarter.”

Jin Ruo pointed at his own nose. “Then what about me?”

Hua Yitang: “Little Jin Ruo will naturally accompany Director Ling to Hongxiang Quarter.”

Jin Ruo: “I want to go to the gambling den and watch Yita sweep the floor with everyone —”

Hua Yitang sighed, hooked his arm around Jin Ruo’s neck, and lowered his voice. “This trip to Hongxiang Quarter — you have a very important mission!”

Jin Ruo was startled, and drew a finger across his throat. “You’re not telling me to quietly do away with Duan Hongning, are you?”

Hua Yitang nearly wrenched his own neck. “I’m telling you to protect Sixth Brother!”

“Hongxiang Quarter is full of soft, delicate young ladies — what danger could there possibly be? Besides, Director Ling’s martial arts are nothing to scoff at. Even if something really did go wrong, he could certainly protect himself with ease.”

“Naive!” Hua Yitang rapped his fan against Jin Ruo’s skull. “What is the Ling clan of Xingyang most famous for?”

Jin Ruo scratched his head. “Their swordsmanship? Their military achievements?”

“Wrong! Their honesty and their poverty!”

“The young ladies of Hongxiang Quarter are each more charming and silver-tongued than the last. Sixth Brother is handsome, soft-hearted, and easily fooled — exactly the kind of prey those women love most. If we toss Sixth Brother alone into Hongxiang Quarter, wouldn’t that be —” Hua Yitang widened his eyes dramatically — “a lamb… walking… into… a tiger’s den?!”

Jin Ruo turned to glance at Ling Zhiyan.

Director Ling was furrowing his brow, looking flustered. Recalling his reaction when he’d met Hua Yimeng before — well… when it came to interacting with women, he was indeed — to use Master’s words — not very bright-looking…

“Fine, I — the illustrious vice-master of the Jingmen Sect — will escort him into that dragon’s lair!” Jin Ruo slapped his chest with spirited bravado.

“The vice-master shows great generosity!” Hua Yitang tossed Jin Ruo a pouch of gold leaf coins. “Be careful on your way!”

Jin Ruo tucked the gold leaf coins into his chest, slung an arm around Ling Zhiyan’s shoulder, and trotted off cheerfully.

Hua Yitang hid his smile behind his fan, barely suppressing his laughter.

Lin Sui’an poked his shoulder. “What have you tricked Jin Ruo into doing this time?”

Hua Yitang immediately straightened his expression. “I merely reminded Jin Ruo to pay close attention to Duan Hongning’s words and actions — not a single suspicious detail is to be overlooked.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

Wasn’t that completely obvious? Was that really worth spelling out?

Hua Yitang smiled brightly. “No time to lose — Mu Xia, bring my change of clothes! We leave in a quarter of an hour!”

Lin Sui’an watched Hua Yitang’s brisk, cheerful figure disappear into the inner chamber, her stomach full of suspicion.

Something’s off. There’s definitely something going on.

At that same moment, in the inner chamber.

Mu Xia laid out everything he’d prepared long in advance — the “Hanyan Glowing Firefly Robe,” the “Smoke-Misted Purple-Emerald Sash,” the “Plum-Loving Immortal Far-Traveling Boots,” and the “Rain-Cooled Jade-Green Fan” — each item placed one by one, his expression barely concealing his excitement.

“Tonight’s fragrance is a new blend I mixed myself — it’s called ‘The Wind Plays with the Dragonfly; Emerald-Clear Autumn Waters.'”

He then spread out the Yidu district map and traced a route with his finger. “The Fangyuan Gambling Den sits in the West Fourth Quarter — the highest-elevation ward in all of Yidu. From there you can gaze out at a sea of ten thousand lights stretching like stars, the most poetic view the city has to offer. To return from the West Fourth Quarter to the government compound, one must cross Feihong Bridge over the Jade River — strolling along the bridge with the river breeze cool and the moon bright, it is Yidu’s most renowned spot for young lovers to meet by moonlight, second in popularity only to Dacisi Temple by the Great East Gate.”

“Wu Chun may not be much of a fighter, but his sense of feng shui is not bad at all,” Hua Yitang said, stripping off his official robe cleanly and efficiently, then pulling on the Glowing Firefly Robe — layer after layer, a full nine layers in total. He struck an extravagantly dashing pose in the mirror. “How do I look?”

Mu Xia flashed all eighteen teeth. “The fourth young master is naturally radiant and devastatingly handsome.”

Hua Yitang hung his fragrant sachet ball in place, snapped open his fan, gave himself two more twirls in the mirror — thoroughly satisfied — and swept out the door. Lin Sui’an and Yita, standing outside, simultaneously sneezed.

Mu Xia craned his neck to watch through the doorway, a forty-year-old’s expression of warm contentment blooming on his fourteen-year-old face.

Neither Hua Yitang nor Mu Xia noticed that beneath the pile of clothes just changed out of on the sleeping couch, a hand — dry and gnarled as deadwood — slowly reached out and snatched one garment, flinging it far to the side.

Fangke yawned, lifted one eyelid to take a look, gave a disdainful snort, turned his head, and went back to sleep.

Mini Theater

Mu Xia: Fourth young master, you can do it!

Fangke: I’ll bet one human leg bone — it’s definitely not going to work!

I finished mapping out the rest of the outline too late today and only managed to write this much — lying flat like a piece of kelp, weeping.

To everyone sitting the college entrance exams — go to sleep early!