Ding Gou, Yi Dan’s disciple. Vile temperament. Very bad temper. His mouth—showed no mercy. As for his martial skills—hadn’t been observed yet.
Yi Dan said this youngster had solid foundational skills and came from a good background, so he was a bit proud—just ignore him and it would be fine.
Mo Zi asked, what kind of background does this person have, dressed so shabbily, yet still a bit proud?
Yi Dan didn’t answer.
Yuan Cheng said this person had received Yi Dan’s true teachings—once he acknowledged a master, he would never leave or abandon them, worthy of great responsibility.
Mo Zi asked again, why doesn’t Administrator Yuan keep him for his own use?
Yuan Cheng also didn’t answer.
Thus, Mo Zi reached her own conclusion. Ding Gou was a hot potato. Both Yi Dan and Yuan Cheng couldn’t handle him, so they pushed him onto her. She was a woman—having someone around who could fight couldn’t be faulted externally—
“Hey, did you hear me? When it gets dark, women shouldn’t run around every—” Before the word “where” left his mouth, his head took a hit.
A small pebble fell down, spinning in circles on the ground.
Ding Gou couldn’t believe it—truly a case of losing Jingzhou through carelessness. Who would have thought this woman would dare throw a stone at him!
“You’re too long-winded.” Mo Zi threw two more pebbles in succession. This time, naturally, they didn’t hit him.
Zan Jin was resting tonight. After Ding Gou arrived, the two men took turns resting at night.
“No women are as long-winded as you lot. Not sleeping in the dead of night, saying such nonsense.” Ding Gou weighed the two pebbles, considering whether he should throw them back.
“Ding Gou, if you feel aggrieved following me, you don’t have to follow.” Peace and quiet for both sides.
“I take money to handle affairs, eliminating disasters for others. Within one year, I’ll preserve your life, then naturally I’ll leave.” A dignified man protecting a woman—damn it! If his family wasn’t poor, he wouldn’t do this.
“Ding Gou, is this name given to you by your parents, or did you choose it yourself?” Someone from a good background wouldn’t be called such a name, would they? Then again, like master, like disciple. The master sold his life for money, the disciple sold his time for money. It showed that even chivalrous warriors must first fill their bellies.
“I chose it myself. However, I suppose a woman like you wouldn’t understand—you probably think names like ‘Kitten’ or ‘Puppy’ help one survive.” Ding Gou snorted.
“Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs. The sage is not benevolent; he treats the common people as straw dogs.” Mo Zi turned her head, smiling lightly. “Do you wish to align with Heaven and Earth, or learn from the sage? Unfortunately, you view others as straw dogs, yet you yourself pursue profit—aren’t you also the same kind?”
Ding Gou’s expression changed dramatically. He hadn’t expected Mo Zi to perceive the profound meaning he had placed in his name. Born to a declining Great Zhou aristocratic family, from childhood he loved reading and practicing martial arts. After becoming Yi Dan’s disciple, he paid no attention to the changes in worldly affairs.
This time he accepted this assignment to earn his elder sister’s dowry. His elder sister had long passed marriageable age. His parents couldn’t bear to marry her down to ignorant peddlers and laborers, yet families of equal status despised his family’s poverty. As the eldest brother, with no other options, he came out to serve others for pay. However, having to follow a woman troubled him endlessly. Displeased in his heart, he didn’t hide it on his face either. Best if this woman dismissed him—then the task would be considered complete and he’d still get the silver.
But she understood!
Ding Gou stared at her smiling face for a long moment. “How do you know?”
Using this name to walk the jianghu, he hadn’t told anyone it meant “straw dog.”
“When I call you Ding Gou, you immediately return a look that says ‘you’re the dog.'” She had once used a similar look toward those Great Qiu nobles who regarded her as an inferior race, then silently recited these two famous lines from Laozi in her heart.
Ding Gou’s voice was cold and low, suppressing the shock in his heart. “That’s right, I do regard you as a straw dog. You can go tell my master to send someone else, but I won’t return the silver already paid.”
Mo Zi shook her head, turned around and continued walking forward. “Heaven and the sage both treat us as straw dogs—I won’t think highly of myself. Since it’s not you who’s aggrieved, and I’m a straw dog while you’re Ding Gou, then let’s muddle through this year together.”
Ding Gou opened his mouth, unable to close it.
The place Mo Zi went to was called Eye-Washing Terrace, the highest point of Yuan Manor, originally a hill beside the lake outside Yuan Manor’s walls. This reconstruction had incorporated it inside.
The hill had no trees, only grass laid. A white stone path with bronze branch lanterns on both sides—the lamplight was dim, illuminating only the immediate surroundings, quietly ascending.
Mo Zi stepped onto Eye-Washing Terrace, feet treading on sun-baked colored large sandstones, hands touching flame-colored nine-sided pillars, lifting snow-blue wind curtains—entering, hot air rushed at her face. It turned out the center held a pit with a large fire basin, an entire dead tree serving as firewood.
Li Yan tapped wine tiles with chopsticks, elbow propped on knee, shaking his head and nodding, eyes closed as he sang: “Climbing the high terrace, seeing bronze branches holding dim lamps, gilded flowers also thin. Waiting for the morning to come, when wild geese fall at the lotus pond splashing water, celebrating the master’s name equal to Spring and Autumn.”
This old man—what did he want Yuan Cheng to do? Equal name to Spring and Autumn? Mo Zi thought privately.
Removing her cloak, she walked inside. At an offset corner where there was wine but no people, at a peach wood table, she sat down gracefully and poured herself a cup of wine.
When she entered, except for Li Yan who appeared intoxicated with eyes closed, everyone else saw her.
Not only did they not blame her for barging in uninvited, many even nodded and smiled at her.
This wasn’t another of Yuan Cheng’s social gatherings, but rather his own “cadre meeting.” Mo Zi had been invited to attend, but because she was waiting for news from Prince Jing’s mansion, she had arrived a bit late.
After Li Yan finished singing, there was quite an audience applauding—beyond the applause, some called out praise.
Yuan Cheng sat in the head seat, also clapping, though it looked effortless, without much feeling.
Jin Yin sat in the second seat, dressed entirely in plain white, all pearl and jade brilliance stripped away, his features extraordinarily bewitching and magnificent. Qian Liang and Bai Liang flanked him left and right—their mischievous and strange appearance was no longer visible, their expressions solemn.
Li Yan was a clever old man. Seeing that this “Climbing the High Terrace” song still couldn’t inspire the other party’s ambition, he felt somewhat dispirited.
His gaze swept around and caught sight of Mo Zi. His eyes rolled. The longer he stayed by Yuan Cheng’s side, the more he could sense this woman’s influence on Yuan Cheng. Perhaps if Mo Zi persuaded him, it could fulfill all the retainers’ expectations for the master.
“Brother Mo has arrived.” The old man nearly slapped his thigh and jumped up, very loudly.
Mo Zi wore women’s clothing. Now, most of the time, she dressed as a woman.
But Li Yan called her Brother Mo because in such occasions, she wasn’t an ordinary woman, but rather an honored guest who could sit as their equal. The Leopard Gang’s elimination of internal troubles that day came from her writing—layers of traps, every detail arranged by her to impeccability. And her plain-clothed coffin sending, whether intentional or not, awakened Jin Yin’s last bit of attachment to his mother country, enabling him to come ask the master about the doubts in his heart. The key was in her hands—as long as she was willing, each person here would shine brilliantly in this chaotic world.
“I’ve come late—is this gathering about to disperse?” Mo Zi had wanted to come quietly and leave quietly, not knowing the wily old man Li Yan wanted to pull her into the eye of the storm.
Li Yan still spoke loudly: “Not late, not late. We were just discussing the three-nation talks. Great Qiu arrived several days early, Nande arrived several days late, but they dragged it out until yesterday to officially begin discussions. Yet in less than half a shichen, Nande’s envoy Wu Jian swept his sleeves and walked out. Great Zhou’s Prime Minister Li Ren stayed a bit longer, but came out with an iron-blue face as well. Today, the Emperor declared in court that they would celebrate New Year first and discuss peace talks afterward, ensuring the two nations’ distinguished guests feel at home. We’re guessing what exactly happened. Would Brother Mo like to join in?”
Mo Zi initially declined politely but couldn’t resist Li Yan’s insistence. She lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and said: “I fear Nande’s violent mobs are causing disorder—their court’s situation is dire, their hearts unsettled and tempers irritable. One provocation and they explode in anger.”
Zhang Zhen said: “Brother Mo’s guess is correct. The master just received the latest news—in Nande’s Chen County, farmers have again risen up with weapons, organizing righteous armies, killing dozens of local corrupt officials. Those joining the righteous army have already exceeded ten thousand.
At this time of peace talks, Wu Jian is like an ant on a hot pan—how could he settle his heart?”
“A single spark can start a prairie fire. Nande’s corrupt government is too backward—the common people finally can’t bear the heavy burden. Rebellion is also a matter of time, not surprising.” Mo Zi looked at Yuan Cheng. “Master, do you know who this Wu Jian is?”
“Wu Jian is Grand Preceptor Wu’s son.” Yuan Cheng answered her. “Grand Preceptor Wu excels at political maneuvering; Wu Jian is far inferior to his father.”
“When competing in wisdom with others, the most taboo is impetuosity. Great Qiu and Great Zhou certainly already know about the rebellious people. Great Zhou might be fine, but Great Qiu, while gloating, might want to sit back and reap the fisherman’s profit. Isn’t this a heaven-sent opportunity to attack?” Mo Zi thought from Great Qiu’s perspective.
“That’s why I say, rather than letting others reap the benefits, better to do it ourselves—” Li Yan started to speak out.
“Elder Li, it’s late—let’s disperse for today.” But Yuan Cheng used these words to pull the old man down, already standing up.
When the host stood, naturally guests couldn’t remain seated. Everyone quickly left their seats, cupping hands in farewell.
As Li Yan walked past Mo Zi, he deliberately said: “In a chaotic world, there’s no avoiding it—only self-strengthening. Brother Mo, wouldn’t you agree?”
Mo Zi smiled humbly without speaking.
After Li Yan’s several attempts at persuasion failed, he momentarily sighed with lamentation, his departing figure sighing endlessly.
Qian Liang and Bai Liang came over, heads drooping. “Third Young Master, Master is truly heartbroken this time.”
Mo Zi could only comfort this pair of adorable twins. “Young Master is such a resilient person—don’t worry.”
“The old general died with eyes unclosed, and those who came with him to request Master’s aid were skinned and dismembered by Great Qiu, hung on masts—simply tragic beyond words.” Speaking in an old-fashioned manner—that was Qian Liang.
Bai Liang spoke with righteous indignation: “I wish I could go onto Great Qiu’s ships and chop off their heads one by one, then dismember them into eight pieces.”
Jin Yin still learned of those Yuling soldiers’ fate. Mo Zi sighed deeply, not knowing what to say.
At this moment, Jin Yin walked over. Seeing her, he still smiled, though somewhat forced.
“Jiu Jiu worries about you. I didn’t tell her you were beaten—I suppose it’s sisters’ telepathic connection.” His slender hand, just as it was about to touch Mo Zi’s shoulder, withdrew.
“Help me tell her I’ll come get her for New Year.” Mo Zi was thinking perhaps it wasn’t a good time to mention the Water Purification Pearl.
“You have something to say to me?” Jin Yin perceived her hesitation to speak.
“Do you still want to buy the Water Purification Pearl?” Mo Zi asked, then answered herself: “Forget it.”
“Why forget it? Who says I don’t want to buy it? The price doesn’t change. If you have it, bring it.” Jin Yin’s phoenix eyes held a wicked edge. “Even if I become Chu Yu again, what I like, I’ll still like.”
“Become Chu Yu again?” Have you decided?
“There are always some matters, some responsibilities, that cannot be escaped.” Yuan Cheng stood beside Mo Zi. “All three of us have things we must do, don’t we?”
“Having things we must do, but we can ask brothers to help.” Mo Zi’s eyes reflected the lamplight warmly. “Whether Jin Yin or Chu Yu. Whether corrupt official or good official. What we pledged wasn’t just names.”
“Join forces?” Jin Yin smiled.
Yuan Cheng looked at Mo Zi, then at Jin Yin. “Why fear the world’s great chaos?”
Indeed—they were precisely hoping for the world’s great chaos!