The old gentleman paused, and carefully reviewed the exchange that had just taken place. It seemed that, just as the pretty young woman had said, he had indeed let the name slip carelessly.

Yet he was still not willing to admit it, and gave a dry laugh: “In Huicheng, it seems there is only one man surnamed You — what is wrong with making a guess?”

Su Luoyun, seeing the old man refusing to acknowledge anything, smiled again and said: “The Master You we are looking for is the proprietor of Maoxiang Bank here in Huicheng, which is a very wealthy establishment. I visited Maoxiang Bank earlier today and caught the faint scent of ambergris inside the shop — and it is the same scent that clings to you. This suggests you have been to Maoxiang Bank, and stayed there for a considerable length of time — long enough that the fragrance lingered even after you had gone. An ordinary customer would have no need to remain at a bank for very long. You would appear to have a close relationship with that establishment — so how could you not know the proprietor of Maoxiang Bank?”

The lean old man, hearing this, could not help but raise his eyes and look at her, lifting his salt-and-pepper brows: “You can identify a person by their scent — that is quite a skill. But many people visit a bank. Does sitting there for a while make all of them the proprietor?”

Su Luoyun continued: “I have heard that Master You Shanyue’s son was born with a lung ailment. And on your person, beyond the ambergris, there is also the scent of mouse-tooth herb. Mouse-tooth herb is an indispensable medicine for treating consumption of the lungs. For one person to carry both scents simultaneously is extraordinarily rare. It would be too great a coincidence, would it not?”

Han Linfeng glanced at the missing finger and added: “Master You, it is said, once cut off his own finger as a vow to break his gambling habit. You, elder, would also appear to be missing your small finger.”

At this, the old man threw back his head and laughed heartily: “I never imagined I would be so full of telltale signs — even disguised as a fisherman, I cannot deceive sharp eyes.”

He looked the handsome couple over once more, dropped all further pretense, and turned to Han Linfeng: “May I ask which household the young master belongs to?”

Han Linfeng considered for a moment. He had no intention of revealing his identity openly, and so clasped his hands and replied: “My surname is Han. I am Elder Brother Cao’s sworn younger brother.”

The old man narrowed his eyes at him, then suddenly broke into a dry laugh: “You have taken my measure — and I have taken yours. You are the Beizhen Prince’s Shizi, a descendant of the late Emperor Shengde.”

As the saying went, money could make the very demons do your bidding. This old gentleman had evidently seen Han Linfeng produce Cao Sheng’s bank notes at the bank, and had swiftly investigated his background.

Han Linfeng, knowing that You Shanyue’s network of informants was vast and far-reaching, acknowledged it without hesitation: “Quite right.”

This time the old man made no move to send them away. Instead he pointed toward a painted pleasure boat moored at the lakeside: “I was just about to take my midday meal. Would the two of you be willing to spare a moment and share a cup of wine with this old man?”

Han Linfeng did not immediately accept.

But You Shanyue understood his wariness, and gave a self-deprecating smile: “You’ve stationed hidden sentries all around Mirror Lake, haven’t you? Do you think I’m going to sink the boat and drown you both? I may not be of imperial blood, but this old life of mine is worth considerably more than the sons of many a declining household. Rest assured — I have no intention of sacrificing myself to harm anyone.”

The remark was barbed to its core, mocking Han Linfeng as a fallen branch of the imperial tree worth less than a merchant of boundless wealth.

Anyone else would have gone pale at the insult and turned on him in cold fury.

Yet Han Linfeng heard it and responded with an easy smile: “Master You speaks reasonably. Then it would be rude of me to refuse — let me offer my thanks in advance for the elder’s hospitality.”

He then let go of Luoyun’s hand, evidently intending to leave her on shore rather than bring her into uncertain circumstances.

But Luoyun did not release his hand, and said quietly: “I am going too.”

If Han Linfeng left her behind, did he really think she could feel at ease on the bank?

She would rather go along than stand there fretting.

Han Linfeng knew that once this girl dug in her heels, it was not easy to dissuade her — and besides, his instincts told him there was no great risk. So he brought Luoyun with him and boarded the pleasure boat.

Since You Shanyue already knew his identity yet had still chosen to appear, it meant the old man had done so deliberately. In that case, it was only fitting that both parties bring a measure of sincerity to the table.

Just as the old man rose to his feet, Han Linfeng noticed that the fish basket beside him was entirely empty, and the hook he had just drawn up from the water — was perfectly straight.

When the Duke of Zhou fished with a straight hook, it was said he was waiting for a willing sovereign to come to him. As for this old man, who had walked both the legal and the underworld paths — what exactly was he fishing for?

Seeming to read Han Linfeng’s unspoken question, the old man gave a bitter smile and said mildly: “My son is gravely ill — he can no longer eat fish. But I still come here out of old habit, to ease my mind. Only my son made a wager with me: he bet I could not hook a large fish today. If he won, he said he would no longer let the physician dose him with bitter medicine. But his health cannot afford to go without medicine — and so I used a straight hook.”

Luoyun could not help but smile. A man so thoroughly in the grip of gambling that he would find something to bet on even without dice or tiles.

Once they were settled on the pleasure boat, Luoyun could not see clearly, but her nose caught wave after wave of rich, appetizing aromas rising from the table — what seemed like the fish lips and fish maw she had tasted only at the Princess’s residence, and the sour cream brought as tribute from the Western regions.

How this old man of legendary wealth had managed to gather delicacies from every corner of the world onto one small dining table, she could not begin to imagine.

When they were seated, You Shanyue gestured toward a dish of fish: “This is red-spotted grouper from the South Sea, with an exceptionally delicate flavor. It can only be caught in deep water, however, and people in the north may go their entire lives without ever tasting fish this fresh.”

Han Linfeng first tried a mouthful himself, then picked a portion with his chopsticks for Luoyun.

As Luoyun ate the tender, fresh fish, she thought to herself that this self-made deity of wealth lived more lavishly than the Emperor in his own palace. Setting aside the cost of the fish itself, simply transporting it all the way north to Huicheng would have required enormous effort and planning.

At minimum, keeping the fish fresh on the journey would have required ice to preserve it, and fast boats to carry it.

And this was merely an ordinary midday outing for the old man.

At a New Year’s feast, she could only imagine what might be served at the You household table — perhaps a whole dragon, slow-cooked for the occasion.

While they spoke, Han Linfeng and You Shanyue had already exchanged several rounds of wine.

You Shanyue squinted his eyes — buried as they were in folds of skin — and observed that this young Shizi seemed to have no wariness toward him whatsoever: he had boarded the boat without hesitation, and drank freely. There was a certain frank, open quality about him, with the easy bearing of a man at home in the world.

Back at the bank, when word had come that someone had arrived bearing a large-denomination note linked to Cao Sheng, You Shanyue had taken the trouble to make inquiries.

When he first learned that the visitor was the transport officer of Qianxi Provisions Camp — the Beizhen Shizi, Han Linfeng — You Shanyue had felt something close to disappointment. Merely thinking of the Shizi’s well-known reputation in the capital had been enough to extinguish any desire to investigate further.

Yet it puzzled him — how had Cao Sheng come to know such a reckless, empty-headed young wastrel on close terms? And so he had followed them here to take a look for himself.

It was a slow day after all, and he might as well pass the time.

He had not expected that the moment he settled down, he would be identified by the beauty the Shizi had brought with him.

The fact that the woman at his side was this perceptive was evidence enough that the man himself was no ordinary figure — certainly not the worthless thing the rumors made him out to be.

With this in mind, You Shanyue asked: “Given your position, it seems you would not ordinarily be on close terms with Cao Sheng.”

Han Linfeng gave a slight smile: “Given Master You’s standing and wealth, you also seem a rather unlikely close acquaintance for my Elder Brother Cao — may I ask why that is?”

You Shanyue took a sip of wine, and raised his eyes: “As a subject of Great Wei, one naturally carries a longing for the ancestral homeland. Since you and I are both old friends of Commander Cao, I trust you would not report me to the authorities?”

Han Linfeng looked at him evenly: “I suspect the elder’s motivations are not as simple as a longing for the homeland.”

You Shanyue heard this and asked with genuine curiosity: “What do you mean by that?”

Han Linfeng glanced at the man’s severed finger: “In your younger years, elder, you had something of a passion for gambling, I believe?”

The old man raised his head and moved what remained of his small finger: “My gambling nearly cost me everything. To break the habit, I cut off the finger myself. I have not played for decades.”

But Han Linfeng shook his head and leaned forward slightly: “You did not break your gambling habit — you simply found another kind of wager. No dice or tiles required, yet the stakes are far more exhilarating.”

You Shanyue, who had been leaning forward, slowly straightened up, eyes narrowing: “Oh? I am all ears.”

Han Linfeng poured the man a cup of wine himself: “You command wealth enough to rival a nation’s treasury. At your age, every delicacy the world offers has already passed your lips. And your only son is gravely ill — all the riches in the world cannot mend that. If I were you, Master You, and I wished to gamble — I would wager on the realm itself.”

You Shanyue’s eyes, buried in their folds of skin, drew to a sharp, narrow line: “What is Shizi suggesting?”

Han Linfeng said with perfect composure: “Elder Brother Cao has always believed that you, like the other magnates, support the rebel cause out of patriotic sentiment alone. Yet given your private friendship with him, how could you not know the full details of how Qiu Zhen seized power? And yet after Jiayong Prefecture fell, you were the first to fund Qiu Zhen — and by my intelligence, the sum you gave him was even larger than what you once gave Elder Brother Cao. I would imagine that in your assessment, Qiu Zhen looks like a winning hand — and so you have increased your wager accordingly.”

You Shanyue let out a hearty laugh, and took a fresh look at this young man of ruinous reputation: “With a mind as sharp as yours, how did your name come to be so thoroughly disgraced? The world has gone blind — mistaking a hawk for a common sparrow.”

Even Cao Sheng, who had known him for years, had never seen through his intentions — yet this young man had seen it plainly at their very first meeting. The perception was remarkable.

Yet You Shanyue was still not willing to concede outright, and said: “But what makes you say I back Qiu Zhen?”

Han Linfeng continued: “Did not the elder’s demeanor cool sharply just now, after reading Commander Cao’s letter urging you to stop supporting Qiu Zhen? After all, with Commander Cao in his present state of health, he is likely no longer a card in play at your table. Though, the last man to play this particular game was the storied Lv Buwei — who appeared to win spectacularly, yet ended with the whole board swept away. I am concerned that should you back the wrong player, what you lose will not be a finger, but the head on your shoulders.”

You Shanyue was wealthy beyond reckoning, and at his age, every earthly pleasure had been exhausted. His only son lay dying, and ten thousand strings of gold could do nothing to ease that grief.

It seemed that in this hollow despair, the Deity of Wealth had found a new form of diversion — staking bets, watching to see who would be the next man to sit upon the throne.

To prop up a new emperor and watch him reshape the realm — what a thrilling and singular game that was. Yet as Han Linfeng had said, this was a game played with one’s life, and it was all too easy to be consumed by one’s own flames.

And so You Shanyue narrowed his eyes and said: “Are you threatening me?”

Luoyun spoke up then, her voice soft: “Since we are all friends of Elder Cao, we ought to be frank with one another. As for threats — Shizi knows Elder Cao, and the two share a deep private friendship. You know this now, elder, which means you also hold something over Shizi. We have boarded your boat, eaten the fish you brought up from the Northern Sea, and shared a cup of wine with you — that makes us old and trusted friends. Between friends, there is no threatening, only honest conversation and well-meant reminders. Besides, you have always been extraordinarily skilled at the game — how could someone with your talent ever gamble away their own head? Is it not rather that Shizi, this new friend of yours, has come rushing to show you his hand?”

Luoyun had a gentle, soft beauty about her that gave off no trace of aggression. Words spoken softly by a beautiful woman were a peerless tool for smoothing over tension.

The old man heard this and burst into laughter: “Well said. Truly a woman of exceptional tact and grace.”

He turned back to Han Linfeng: “So tell me — which card on this table will win?”

Han Linfeng said steadily: “It will certainly not be Qiu Zhen. If this were a horse race, he is the one who surges ahead too early — whether he can run even half the course is an open question. But if I were simply to ask you to withdraw your stake, that would be mere words with nothing behind them. So let us make a wager of our own instead. If I win, I ask that you give careful thought to the counsel in Commander Cao’s letter, and cease your support of Qiu Zhen.”

You Shanyue, though he called himself reformed, had gambling in his very bones. The moment he heard this, his interest was fully kindled: “What do we wager on?”

Han Linfeng said: “Qiu Zhen’s next move will be to attack Jingzhou and force open the gateway to the south. I wager that he will suffer heavy losses, retreat from Jiayong Prefecture, and be unable to mount a counterattack for one full year.”

You Shanyue heard this and laughed again heartily: “You should be well aware that Qiu Zhen took Jiayong Prefecture in a mere two days. This wager seems highly dubious. And besides — since you know I have already formed ties with Qiu Zhen, what if I were to warn him, and reveal your plans? What then?”

Han Linfeng raised his wine cup and said aloud with a clear voice: “I do not yet know your character, elder — but I do know that at the gambling table, you have never once cheated or played dirty. A man with a gambling character like that — how could he secretly pass information behind the other player’s back just to win?”

Luoyun sat quietly beside him, drinking her wine, and privately thought that Han Linfeng’s flattery was a touch too blatant: an old gambler who had used a straight-hook trick to cheat at a bet with his own sick son — what admirable gambling character was there to speak of?

But You Shanyue was very receptive to this particular kind of flattery, and drained the cup in his hand with great satisfaction: “Well said. I have always despised anyone who questions my gambling character. Very well — I will take this wager with you.”

Han Linfeng said gravely: “However, for this wager to proceed, I have one further request. I ask that Master You temporarily hold back your funds — wait two months before releasing any further silver to the rebel forces.”

You Shanyue thought it over and agreed cleanly: “Fine. But since you are proposing a wager, what are the stakes?”

Han Linfeng said: “What does the elder suggest?”

You Shanyue pointed at Su Luoyun beside him: “Such flawless beauty, and so quick-witted and perceptive — a woman truly beloved by all. If you lose, how about sending this beauty to me as the forfeit?”

You Shanyue made this proposal not out of any deliberate intention to demean Han Linfeng — he had simply assumed that a woman this beautiful at the Shizi’s side must be a favored concubine.

A companion this lively and intelligent, even at his age and in his current state, would at least scatter some of the idle, empty hours.

Han Linfeng raised one eyebrow slightly, and said coldly: “She is my wedded wife. One’s wife, children, and parents are the closest of kin — they are to be cherished and held in reverence. They cannot be wagered.”

The old man fell silent once more, for he had noticed that the young woman appeared to have impaired vision — something of an affliction — and had not expected her to be the Shizi’s wife.

Yet Han Linfeng’s words had once again struck a chord with the old man. He first offered an apology to the Shizi’s wife, then asked: “Then does Shizi have nothing to offer that would move me?”

Han Linfeng said: “If I lose — I will cut off my own arm for the elder to drink to. What do you say?”

Now that was a wager of genuine magnitude. Even You Shanyue’s severed finger trembled slightly with excitement.

“Good. Then it is settled. Shall we set the period at three months?”

Han Linfeng gave a faint smile: “Too long. I wager that within one month, Qiu Zhen will be driven out of Jiayong Prefecture in defeat.”

You Shanyue laughed again with great relish: “Splendid. Then we have a deal, and it is settled in a single word. Though — Shizi, if you lose this wager, I hope you will not regret it.”

As he said these words, You Shanyue fixed Han Linfeng with a look, and from his eyes there erupted a sudden, rolling tide of murderous intent.

In that moment, one was finally reminded that this lean and wiry old man had once been a man with countless lives on his hands.

If Han Linfeng failed to honor the bet, this man of boundless wealth who feared neither law nor crown had his own ways of making a fallen Shizi pay what he owed.

After they stepped off the pleasure boat, Luoyun kept hold of his hand for a long while. Only when they were inside the carriage did she say, full of barely contained indignation: “A fine thing you said — one’s wife, children, and parents are the closest of kin, to be cherished and held in reverence, they cannot be wagered. Well, one’s body and bones are also received from one’s parents — they cannot be wagered either. You really are too boldly generous with yourself: nothing less than an entire arm would do.”

Hearing Han Linfeng’s words just now, Luoyun had very nearly been beside herself with anger. If she had not needed to spare him face, she would have gladly shoved both old gambler and young gambler straight into the lake.

Han Linfeng looked at her indignant expression and could not help but smile: “Since I dared to make the wager, I naturally have eight parts confidence in winning.”

Luoyun asked sharply: “And the other two parts?”

Han Linfeng touched her face lightly and said with equanimity: “Everyone chokes on a swallow of water now and then. Even with the best preparation, there is no accounting for heaven’s tricks — it is possible I could end up on the losing side. But if that day comes, I will certainly die wrapped in my battle flag, fighting the enemy to the last drop of blood. At that point, I will most likely already be dead — giving up an arm would be the least of it, even a leg would be fine. In any case, you will have sacrificed one piece of me — but at least you would not have tarnished my gambling character.”

This time Luoyun lunged at him in fury and pinched his face, then immediately began going “peh peh peh” under her breath, offering up apologies to the Heavenly Spirits and the Earth God, explaining that her husband was still young and had spoken some childish nonsense, respectfully requesting that all divine powers please not take offense.

This, oddly enough, left Han Linfeng feeling a dim, unexpected warmth in his chest. You foolish girl — you won’t even give me a child, so what does my life or death have to do with you?

But You Shanyue had truly surprised Luoyun.

A matter of such weight and consequence for all the people of the realm — for an old man to treat it as sport for his amusement — was that not a little too flippant?

Hearing Luoyun’s puzzled observation, Han Linfeng said evenly: “He has long since passed the age of knowing heaven’s will. His only beloved son is near death, and no amount of silver can fill the hollow in his heart. For a man of such wealth, the things that can still amuse and satisfy him are well beyond ordinary pearls and beauties, fine horses and rare treasures. To prop up a new emperor — how many people in this world could ever do such a thing? The greater the risk, the more thrilling the game.”

Luoyun let out a long sigh. By now she herself was reasonably comfortable, but she was in no position to compare herself with You Shanyue — a man who had built his fortune over decades, a financial titan of the martial world. Still, Han Linfeng had at least persuaded You Shanyue to temporarily withhold his support from Qiu Zhen. What remained unclear was how exactly he intended to carry out the ambush in the boar forest.

At this point, their carriage was rolling slowly into the city. That evening, the town was celebrating the Spring Festival rites with a fireworks display.

Princess Yuyang loved a spectacle, and before entering the city had agreed with Luoyun that they would watch the fireworks together before returning to Liangzhou.

And so Han Linfeng was now escorting Luoyun toward the Tianbao Restaurant in the city center.

They did not know that their movements had been closely watched by someone the entire time.

What they did not know was that the very person they had been discussing — Qiu Zhen — had at that moment also disguised himself and slipped into Huicheng.

And his purpose was identical to Han Linfeng’s: to meet the Deity of Wealth, You Shanyue.

Unfortunately, You Shanyue was as elusive as ever, visible only when he chose to be, and Qiu Zhen had been unable to find any trace of him.

Qiu Zhen had thought that by marrying Cao Pei’er, he would automatically gain access to Cao Sheng’s old associates. He had not realized that in practice it was far more complicated than he had imagined.

Cao Pei’er’s standing was plainly no match for her father’s. Moreover, some of those who had been close to Cao Sheng simply could not understand: with her father barely cold in the ground, how could Cao Pei’er have the heart to marry so happily? Such conduct — would it not chill the very soul of the departed? And so some had no desire whatsoever to meet Qiu Zhen, let alone open their purses for the rebel forces.

After considerable difficulty, the largest financial backer — You Shanyue himself — had actually sent men of his own accord, indicating his willingness to continue his support.

And so Qiu Zhen, partly to express his gratitude and partly to solidify his ties with this deity of wealth, had brought Cao Pei’er along in secret to Huicheng to meet with his patron.

But to his frustration, You Shanyue remained elusive and out of reach — willing to provide silver, but pleading ill health and refusing to meet the couple under any circumstances.

Qiu Zhen was not especially set on seeing You Shanyue personally — he simply feared that the old man’s earlier pledge of funds might be subject to change, and had come to collect the silver before anything could go wrong.

Once Cao Pei’er arrived in Huicheng, she was dazzled by the city’s prosperity, and at once began clamouring to go shopping. Qiu Zhen accompanied her for a while.

Then, unexpectedly, at the entrance to Maoxiang Bank, he saw — the man who had cut him down at Fengwei Village.

At the man’s side was a woman, her face concealed behind a gauze-veiled hat.

Qiu Zhen’s heart lurched. Half-convinced for a moment that his own disguise had been seen through, he pulled Cao Pei’er quickly into a side alley.

As the carriage passed, a gust of wind lifted the carriage curtain — and Qiu Zhen caught a clear sight of the woman inside. It was that woman of devastating beauty he had encountered at the medicine shop in Liangzhou.

For a fleeting moment, Qiu Zhen’s mind even entertained the absurd thought: could this blind woman be sneaking off behind her Shizi husband’s back to meet a lover?

But in the very next instant, it was as if an entire sky of fireworks exploded inside his skull.

How had he never once considered it — was not the Beizhen Shizi, Han Linfeng, a man of mixed blood?

Could it be that the man who had slashed him at Fengwei Village — was actually that legendary worthless wastrel?

The moment this sudden realization broke through, everything that had puzzled him before came surging up at once in a single overwhelming flood — and he stood rooted to the spot, staring at the carriage as it moved away, unable to move a step.

Cao Pei’er, bewildered, tugged at his sleeve and asked what was wrong.

Qiu Zhen came back to himself at last. He sent his men to take Cao Pei’er directly back, then set off with the rest of his retinue to follow the trail — out of Huicheng and all the way to Mirror Lake on its outskirts.

When the couple came to stand at the water’s edge, the woman was no longer wearing her veiled hat. Qiu Zhen watched from a distance, hidden deep in the treeline, and confirmed with certainty: the woman was none other than the Beizhen Shizi’s wife.

As for the man — tall and powerfully built, dressed in a long robe of dark crow-green, white jade crown, broad sash, spine perfectly straight — he looked every inch the vigorous, commanding figure, without a trace of the dissolution of a man hollowed out by drink and pleasure.

Qiu Zhen, at this moment, had no thought to spare for the beauty. His eyes were locked on that handsome, martial figure, and in his mind he replayed over and over the moment that blade had come down across his back.

When the pair took to the lake, Qiu Zhen, trusting in his disguise with its pasted-on beard, simply draped himself in a rain cloak and played the part of a resting fisherman hidden behind a boulder — positioned exactly where he could hear the passing man speaking to the woman.

Though he caught only fragments, he was certain: that deep, resonant, magnetic voice was one he had heard before.

But when? Yes — in that damned Ghost-Child Grove. It was this very voice that had commanded the soldiers in the ambush to finish off every man wearing an iron mask.

In that moment, everything fell into place for Qiu Zhen — to hell with Zhao Guibei. From the very beginning, from the first move to the last, he had been played by one person and one person alone: that wolf in sheep’s clothing, that Beizhen Shizi — Han Linfeng.