I: The Unyielding Mulberry Tree in Nanyang

  On the thirteenth day of the tenth month, mid-afternoon.

  Li Yan stood at the entrance of a small village outside Wan City, Nanyang, holding his horse's reins. A stalk of grass dangled from his lips as he stared at the cluster of earthen houses ahead, his brows furrowed deeply enough to trap flies.

  According to the address on Chen Xu’s testament, this was the place—Liushu Tun, the third house from the east, with an old mulberry tree in front.

  The tree was there, most of its leaves yellowed, trembling in the autumn wind. But the house...

  "Brother," Li Yan stopped an old farmer shouldering a hoe, heading to the fields. "I’d like to ask about this household—"

  Before he could finish, the old man’s face changed. He waved his hands repeatedly. "Don’t know! Don’t know! Inauspicious!"

  He tried to leave.

  Li Yan acted swiftly, fishing out a few copper coins from his sleeve and pressing them into the man’s hand. "Uncle, please do me this kindness. I just want to know if this family is named Chen. Chen Xu?"

  Clutching the coins, the old man looked around, then lowered his voice. "You’re also looking for Old Third Chen? Too late. He’s gone!"

  "Gone?"

  "Dead!" The old man’s voice dropped further. "Two weeks ago, a sudden illness! Fine in the morning, cold by evening. The officials came, said it was consumption, ordered a quick burial. But the villagers say..."

  He paused, glancing around again. "Old Third Chen was strong as an ox. Just days before, he could carry two sacks of wheat two li. How could he just fall ill? And a few days before he died, strangers came. Sounded like they were from Luoyang, dressed like constables, but not quite..."

  Li Yan’s heart sank. "And then?"

  "Then he died," the old man sighed. "His son lives far away, came back to bury him and left. The house is empty. Few days ago, someone went in and ransacked it. A mess."

  "Who ransacked it?"

  "Don’t know. Came at night, quiet, but the next day the door was open, inside looked like it’d been robbed."

  Thanking the old man, Li Yan waited until he was gone, then circled to the back of the house. There was a hole in the rear wall, just big enough to squeeze through.

  Inside was indeed a disaster. Overturned tables and chairs, open cabinets, bedding and clothes strewn across the floor, even a few bricks from the stove had been pried loose.

  "This isn’t searching, this is tearing the place apart," Li Yan muttered, beginning a meticulous search.

  He moved slowly, examining every inch—corners, rafters, floorboards, cracks in the walls... Finally, his gaze settled on the old mulberry tree behind the house.

  The earth beneath one spot looked different. Though someone had tried to conceal it, the traces of freshly turned soil were still visible.

  Li Yan found a broken shovel in the yard and started digging.

  About two feet down—clang!—the shovel hit something hard.

  A rusted iron box, about a foot square, surprisingly heavy.

  Li Yan lifted it out and opened it. Inside, wrapped in oilcloth, were several items: a yellowed account book, a few letters, and a thick, sealed envelope.

  He examined the account book first—it was Chen Xu’s father’s ledger, recording the times, locations, and participants in carving the jade tokens. One entry made his pupils contract: "Third day, third month, Zhongping Year One. By the Grand General’s order, altered jade token patterns, added a hidden script layer."

  Altered patterns? Added a hidden script layer?

  So, besides the surface maps, the ten jade tokens had another layer of script, visible only with a special reagent?

  Hurriedly, Li Yan opened the thick letter. It was in Chen Xu’s own hand, characters neat at first but growing increasingly hurried, as if written in haste.

  To the one who reads this, greetings. I know my days are numbered. The men from Luoyang have come, surely for the jade tokens. I record here all I know, hoping a later investigator may uncover the truth.

  My father, Chen Zhen, was a trusted craftsman of the Grand General Dou Wu. In the first year of Jianning, the Grand General plotted against the eunuchs in secret, ordering my father to carve ten jade tokens as tokens of trust, to be hidden in various places. Yet three days before the plot failed, the Grand General suddenly summoned my father in secret, ordering him to add a hidden script layer to the tokens, requiring a 'Revealing Reagent' to become visible.

  The contents of this script concern a momentous secret from the early years of Emperor Ling’s reign—when the previous emperor (Emperor Huan) passed away, the Empress Dowager Dou (Emperor Huan’s empress) and the Grand General originally intended to enthrone Liu Suan, Prince of Qinghe. However, the eunuchs Cao Jie and others forged the imperial decree, installing the current sovereign (Emperor Ling). Besides the Grand General and Grand Tutor Chen Fan, three other court officials participated in this plot. They are still alive today, holding high positions and great power.

  The night my father finished carving the script, the Grand General bestowed gold and ordered him into retirement. The next day, the plot failed. My father fled with me to Nanyang to escape reprisal. On his deathbed, he told me: Should the jade script ever come to light, it would stir a cataclysm. And so it has.

  If a later investigator wishes to know the names of those three court officials, they must first obtain the Revealing Reagent to decode the jade script. I have hidden the reagent’s formula at...

  Here, a corner of the paper was torn away. The rest was missing.

  Li Yan examined it repeatedly. The tear was clean, cut by a sharp blade.

  "Well, well," he smiled wryly. "Always one step behind."

  Still, the gains were substantial: the jade tokens had a hidden script layer requiring a special reagent; the script concerned the succession conspiracy at Emperor Ling’s accession; and three living court officials were involved.

  If this got out, Luoyang would be turned upside down.

  He carefully stored the letter and ledger, reburied the iron box, filled in the earth, and tried to restore the site. Then, leading his horse, he left the village, found a secluded spot, and quickly noted the key information in a small notebook he carried.

  By the time he finished, dusk was approaching.

  Li Yan mounted his horse and spurred it towards Luoyang.

  He had to return quickly. Chen Xu was dead, that trail was cold, but the reagent formula might be elsewhere. And back in Luoyang, who knew what new developments awaited?

  The sound of hooves echoed in the twilight, startling birds from the woods.

  II: The Medicine and the Message in Luoyang

  The same time, on the fourteenth day of the tenth month, the Cui residence in Yonghe Ward.

  Cui Yan sat at her desk, examining the copied records Cui Jun had brought—the inspection logs of the Western Garden Army’s Armory Jia-Zi.

  The records were detailed: date, item, inspector, signature, return time. In the last three months, there had been seven irregular inspections, all for "former dynasty archives." The inspector was Jian Shuo’s trusted captain; the signature was a flamboyant scrawl. Each return was one or two days later than permitted.

  "What exactly is in Armory Jia-Zi?" Cui Yan murmured softly.

  Cui Jun stood before the desk. "By regulation, Armory Jia-Zi stores important weaponry, military tallies, documents, and some confidential archives from former reigns. But the specifics are known only to officers of captain rank and above."

  "Can we find out which archives were inspected?"

  "Difficult," Cui Jun shook his head. "The log only says 'former archives,' no serial numbers. Moreover, Armory Jia-Zi is heavily guarded. No one but Jian Shuo’s trusted men can enter."

  Cui Yan’s fingers tapped lightly on the desk.

  Li Yan’s discovery at Green Cloud Temple was "Fifteenth day of the twelfth month, Western Garden rotation change. Armory Jia-Zi accessible." Now Cui Jun brought these abnormal inspection records. Connecting the two, Jian Shuo was certainly looking for—or perhaps hiding—something in that armory.

  And Li Yan possessed jade token fragments; Chen Xu’s testament likely pointed to a deeper secret. Their knowledge was complementary, but a bridge was needed.

  "Uncle Fu," she called.

  Cui Fu entered from outside the door. "Young Mistress."

  "Any movement at the Hall of Benevolent Healing?"

  "Master Sun operates as usual, but the watchers at his door have multiplied. Western Garden, He Jin’s men, and another group of unknown origin, all watching. Li Yan hasn’t returned yet. Should still be in Nanyang."

  Cui Yan pondered for a moment, then spread out a sheet of paper.

  "Uncle Fu, take note."

  "Yes."

  "First, from the storehouse, take a batch of high-quality Nanyang herbs—Solomon’s Seal, Poria, Gastrodia. Pack them well. Deliver them to the Hall of Benevolent Healing under the name 'Merchant Zhang from Nanyang,' as thanks for Master Sun’s past assistance."

  "Second," Cui Yan picked up her brush and wrote a few characters on another paper: The mulberry tree is empty; you may proceed to the Stargazing Tower. She folded the paper into a tiny square. "Hide this among the herbs. Use our usual cipher fold."

  "Third, have that distant cousin at the Imperial Academy mention the 'Revealing Reagent' during tomorrow’s reformist gathering—'by chance.' Let him say he’s been studying ancient medical texts recently and read about a reagent made from madder root, alum, and vinegar that can reveal hidden writing. Said to be a secret of the imperial physicians, recorded in the old archives of the Imperial Hospital."

  Cui Fu noted each point, then hesitated. "Young Mistress, this is to..."

  "Guide the way," Cui Yan said calmly. "When Li Yan returns from Nanyang, he will need the Revealing Reagent. The formula is in the Imperial Hospital archives, but ordinary people cannot access them. We’ll point him the way, and incidentally... gauge his capabilities."

  "And the Stargazing Tower..."

  "If he’s clever, he’ll naturally go." Cui Yan stood and walked to the window. "If he can’t even understand such hints, he’s not worthy of collaboration."

  Outside, the autumn sun was warm. But her gaze was cool.

  This was a test, and a probe.

  III: Return, and Deciphering the Message

  Evening of the fifteenth day, tenth month.

  Li Yan, dusty from travel, arrived back at the Hall of Benevolent Healing. Before even entering, he saw Master Sun pounding herbs at the entrance, his movements unhurried but his eyes occasionally darting across the street.

  "Master, I’m back." Li Yan led his horse in through the rear entrance.

  Master Sun didn’t look up. "So you remembered to return. Thought you’d died in Nanyang."

  "Couldn’t do that," Li Yan tied up the horse. "Who’d take care of you in your old age?"

  "Bah! Inauspicious!" Master Sun cursed, set down the pestle. "Inside. Talk."

  They entered the back hall and closed the door. Li Yan briefly recounted his Nanyang trip, focusing on the contents of Chen Xu’s testament.

  After listening, Master Sun frowned deeply. "A succession conspiracy... three living court officials... This is bigger than imagined."

  "The key is the Revealing Reagent," Li Yan took out the letter with the torn corner. "The formula’s missing. Need another way."

  Just then, knocking came from the front hall.

  Master Sun went to answer. He returned shortly with a package. "From a Nanyang herb merchant. Says it’s thanks for my past help."

  Li Yan took the package and opened it. Inside were indeed high-quality herbs. But within the folded oilpaper wrapping, his fingers touched a small, hard object.

  A tiny square of paper, folded in a peculiar pattern.

  He unfolded it. Only six characters: The mulberry tree is empty; you may proceed to the Stargazing Tower.

  The handwriting was elegant, a woman’s hand.

  Li Yan smiled. "This Miss Cui is quite well-informed. She even knows I dug under a mulberry tree in Nanyang."

  "Stargazing Tower?" Master Sun frowned. "That Cui family villa south of the city?"

  "Likely," Li Yan burned the note. "She knows I’m back, knows what I lack, and is pointing the way."

  "So you’ll go?"

  "Not yet," Li Yan sat down, poured himself a bowl of water and drank it in one go. "Let’s assess the situation first. Master, any news in Luoyang these past two days?"

  Master Sun thought. "Actually, yes. The Imperial Academy crowd is buzzing about some 'Revealing Reagent' formula, said to be a secret of the former imperial physicians, recorded in the old Hospital archives. The tales are quite vivid."

  Li Yan paused.

  Imperial Hospital old archives... Revealing Reagent...

  "Also Miss Cui’s doing?" he asked.

  "Likely," Master Sun nodded. "She’s paving the way for you. But it’s a treacherous path."

  "How so?"

  "The Imperial Hospital archive is tightly controlled. Ordinary people can’t enter. And..." Master Sun lowered his voice. "I’ve heard new faces appeared outside the archive these past two days. Look like Western Garden men."

  A glint flashed in Li Yan’s eyes.

  "Then it’s even more interesting," he stood up. "Tonight, I’ll visit the Imperial Hospital. If there’s truly an ambush, it means Jian Shuo also knows about the reagent and doesn’t want others getting it."

  "Too dangerous."

  "How else to know if Miss Cui’s offer is genuine?" Li Yan grinned. "Besides, I need to see if the path she points to is a way out, or a dead end."

  Part IV: A Trap at the Hospital, a Letter at the Tower

  Late night, the hour of Hai, Imperial Hospital.

  Li Yan lay prone on the roof opposite the archive building, a mint leaf between his lips, eyes fixed unblinkingly below.

  The archive was a standalone two-story building of grey brick and tile, unremarkable. But after observing for half an hour, Li Yan had spotted at least three hidden sentries: one on the roof, one in a tree opposite, and one in the shadows by the rear wall.

  All three breathed steadily, practiced martial artists. More importantly, their positions formed a triangle, covering each other. Hard to take out simultaneously.

  "Professional," Li Yan muttered. "Jian Shuo’s investing heavily."

  His original plan was to infiltrate the archive and find the record of the Revealing Reagent formula. Now that seemed impossible.

  Just then, footsteps sounded below.

  An elderly man in Imperial Hospital attire approached, carrying a lantern, followed by two clerks. The old man reached the archive door, produced a key, and opened it. The three filed inside.

  Opportunity!

  Li Yan acted instantly. Sliding down from the roof, landing silently, he slipped inside just before the door closed.

  Swift as the wind, even the two sentries at the door didn’t notice.

  Inside, the old man was consulting a catalog; the two clerks were moving a ladder. Li Yan hid in the shadow of a bookshelf, holding his breath.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "Revealing Reagent... Revealing..." the old man muttered, searching through a thick catalog. "Found it. Cabinet Bing, seventh shelf, record Guimao Two-Six."

  A clerk climbed the ladder, rummaged on the seventh shelf of Cabinet Bing, and soon pulled out a thin booklet. "This one?"

  The old man took it, flipped through a few pages. "Yes, that’s it. Take it out for copying. Return the original after."

  Li Yan’s heart leapt. Sometimes you search far and wide, only to find it right before you.

  But just as the clerk with the booklet started descending the ladder, a sharp whistle pierced the night outside!

  The old man’s face changed. "What’s happening?!"

  Before the words faded, the archive door burst open. Three men in black rushed in. The leader was the sturdy man who had surveilled Green Cloud Temple—Wang Meng!

  "Seize him!" Wang Meng barked.

  The two clerks, terrified, dropped the booklet. Li Yan, watching from the shadows, didn’t move.

  Because he knew—this booklet was problematic. Too coincidental. He arrives, and a physician just happens to retrieve the very formula he needs? And Wang Meng arrived far too quickly.

  A trap.

  Li Yan understood instantly. Jian Shuo anticipated his visit to the Hospital and set this up. The booklet was likely fake, or contained no formula.

  He didn’t hesitate. As Wang Meng lunged, Li Yan pulled out a pouch of lime powder from his robe—courtesy of Master Sun—and flung it!

  "Ah!" Wang Meng and his two men, their eyes blinded, cried out and stumbled back.

  Li Yan seized the chance, vaulted out the rear window, deliberately snapped a dry twig upon landing to leave a trace. Then, with several leaps, cleared the Hospital wall and sprinted towards the southern city district.

  Wang Meng, rubbing his eyes, gave chase but only saw Li Yan’s retreating figure. He gritted his teeth. "After him! He’s heading south!"

  But Li Yan didn’t return to the Hall. He took a wide detour, shook off his pursuers, then turned towards the Stargazing Tower.

  Since the Hospital was a trap, he’d try the other path Miss Cui offered.

  The Stargazing Tower stood in Yongping Ward, south of the city, a semi-public villa of the Cui family. Usually used for hosting literati, poetry gatherings—well-known in those circles.

  Li Yan arrived around midnight.

  The three-story tower, with its upturned eaves, looked elegant and refined under the moonlight. But after circling it once, Li Yan spotted at least four guards hidden in the dark, their positions well-coordinated, covering each other.

  "Guards this tight. Not an ordinary villa," he thought.

  He didn’t use the main door or windows—those were prime spots for traps. He chose the simplest but safest method: climbing the old locust tree behind the tower to reach the third-floor roof directly.

  Lifting a roof tile, he peered down.

  The third floor was an elegant chamber, simply but exquisitely furnished: a red sandalwood desk, a few chairs, landscape paintings on the walls, an incense burner in the corner. Incense still burned within, emitting an extremely faint orchid scent.

  On the desk lay a letter.

  It was unsealed, simply spread out, as if waiting for someone to read.

  Li Yan hesitated a moment, then descended from the roof, pushed open a window, and slipped inside.

  He walked to the desk and picked up the letter.

  A single line: The formula for the Revealing Reagent is in Cabinet Jia-Three. The Armory Jia-Zi inspection records are in Volume Yi-Seven. Shall we collaborate?

  No signature at the end, only a tiny orchid seal drawn in cinnabar.

  Li Yan smiled.

  He folded the letter and tucked it into his robe. Then, finding a sheet of paper on the desk, he picked up a brush and wrote: I want the reagent. You have the records. Three days hence, midday. The old place.

  He thought, then drew a simple sketch below—the outline of the old teahouse in the Ghost Market.

  He left the paper on the desk, weighed down by a paperweight. Then retraced his steps, exited through the window, climbed back to the roof, replaced the tile, and vanished into the night.

  The entire process took less time than an incense stick takes to burn.

  Shortly after he left, a hidden door in the side wall of the chamber slid open silently. Cui Yan stepped out.

  She walked to the desk, picked up the paper Li Yan left, looked at the words and sketch, and a faint smile touched her lips.

  "The old place..." she murmured softly. "Quite sentimental."

  She burned the paper, scattering the ashes into the incense burner.

  "Qingwu," she called.

  Qingwu emerged from behind the hidden door. "Young Mistress."

  "Make preparations. In three days, to the Ghost Market teahouse."

  "Yes."

  Part V: Reunion at the Teahouse, Hidden Duels

  Midday of the eighteenth day, tenth month.

  The old Ghost Market teahouse had been redecorated, no trace of that night’s fight remained. New tables and chairs, neatly pasted window paper, even the bloodstains in the corner washed clean.

  Cui Yan sat in a private room on the second floor. Before her, a pot of light tea, two plates of pastries. Today she wore a simple, elegant dark robe the color of lotus root, her hair simply coiled up, held by a single jade hairpin. She looked like an ordinary young lady from a wealthy family.

  Qingwu stood behind her, alert.

  Footsteps sounded on the stairs, neither hurried nor slow.

  Li Yan ascended.

  He still wore his faded indigo hemp clothes, the long cloth-wrapped bundle on his back, his usual lazy smile on his lips.

  "Miss Cui," he cupped his fist in greeting. "Long time no see."

  "Master Li, please sit." Cui Yan gestured to the opposite chair.

  Li Yan didn’t stand on ceremony, sat down heavily, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp. "Parched. Your shopkeeper’s tea is good, just a bit weak."

  "Crude tea only, my apologies," Cui Yan said calmly. "Master Li has impressive methods. The Western Garden Army is still milling around the Imperial Hospital, saying a thief broke in at night."

  "A thief?" Li Yan raised an eyebrow. "I was borrowing a book. They insisted I was stealing. Wrongfully accused."

  A flicker of amusement passed through Cui Yan’s eyes. "Did you succeed in borrowing it?"

  "No," Li Yan spread his hands. "The book was fake, the men were real—that fellow Wang Meng, eyes full of lime powder. Probably still cursing his mother now."

  "And what does Master Li plan to do next?"

  "That’s why I’ve come to seek collaboration with Miss Cui," Li Yan pulled out a copy of Chen Xu’s testament (with the part about the three court officials omitted) and slid it towards Cui Yan. "My sincerity."

  Cui Yan took it, scanned quickly. After reading, her expression unchanged, she retrieved a copy from her sleeve and slid it back. "Mine."

  It was the copy of the Armory Jia-Zi inspection records.

  The two exchanged a glance, each seeing confirmation in the other’s eyes.

  "So," Li Yan spoke first. "The secret hidden in the jade tokens concerns the succession conspiracy from Emperor Ling’s early years. What Jian Shuo is looking for in Armory Jia-Zi might be official records from that time, or perhaps... forged evidence."

  "Or both," Cui Yan added. "He needs to either bury this matter completely before the Winter Solstice Sacrifice, or... unearth it as a weapon against political rivals."

  "The Revealing Reagent is the key," Li Yan looked at her. "Did you really get the formula?"

  Cui Yan retrieved a silk slip from her sleeve and placed it on the table. "The genuine formula. I had someone retrieve it from another Imperial Hospital storeroom, one not under Jian Shuo’s control."

  Li Yan picked up the silk slip and examined it. It detailed the herb ratios, preparation method, and precautions. It was genuine. Master Sun had taught him to identify herbs; he could tell this formula was correct.

  "Conditions?" he asked.

  "Collaboration," Cui Yan said. "I provide the formula and the internal layout map of Armory Jia-Zi. You use your skills to infiltrate and retrieve the records Jian Shuo inspected. The intelligence gained, we share."

  Li Yan pondered. "Sounds like I’m getting the short end. I risk my neck going in; you reap the rewards."

  "You get the intelligence you seek; I get the evidence I need," Cui Yan said evenly. "Moreover, without my layout map and support, you cannot enter Armory Jia-Zi."

  "That’s true enough," Li Yan smiled. "But I need to add two conditions."

  "Please."

  "First, during our collaboration, the Cui family must guarantee the safety of the Hall of Benevolent Healing and Master Sun. I don’t want my home raided the moment I step inside."

  "Agreed."

  "Second, if we succeed, you, Miss Cui, must use your family’s influence to make parts of the Dou Wu case public. Those who died should not have died in vain."

  Cui Yan looked at him, a complex flicker in her eyes. "Why do you want to help them? You have no ties to them."

  "I dislike injustice," Li Yan shrugged. "That’s just how I am. I can’t stand to see wrongs and not act. Besides, those Western Garden fellows are too arrogant. Irks me."

  He said it lightly, but Cui Yan heard the weight behind the words.

  "Very well," she nodded. "I agree."

  "Then a successful partnership," Li Yan extended his hand.

  Cui Yan was taken aback for a moment, looked at his hand, hesitated briefly, then reached out for a light, quick handshake.

  His hand was warm, calloused palms. Hers was cool, soft.

  A brief touch, then parted.

  VI: The Pact and Their Respective Calculations

  Over the next half-hour, they hammered out the details.

  Cui Yan provided a detailed layout map of Armory Jia-Zi—three levels: basement for storage, two above-ground floors for offices and guards. The map marked guard rotation times (every two hours, with a half-incense-stick gap during changeover), patrol routes, sentry positions, and several possible infiltration paths.

  "The rotation change is the best opportunity," Cui Yan pointed at the map. "But Jian Shuo may have already heightened security. So we need to create some distraction."

  "How?"

  "On the twenty-fifth of the tenth month, the Western Garden Army has a minor rotation adjustment affecting some Armory Jia-Zi guards," Cui Yan explained. "That afternoon, Cui Jun will lead a team to Armory Jia-Zi under the Capital Prefecture office’s authority to inspect 'fire prevention measures.' It’s routine, won’t raise suspicion. He will delay as much as possible, create confusion."

  Li Yan noted it. "Twenty-fifth of the tenth month... that’s seven days from now."

  "Correct," Cui Yan produced another small diagram. "This shows the cabinet distribution in the Armory’s basement. The records Jian Shuo inspected should be in 'Section Geng,' which stores archives from Emperor Ling’s early years."

  "How do I identify the records you need once inside?"

  "Look for the seal tag," Cui Yan said. "Records Jian Shuo inspected will have a special mark on the seal tag—a tiny floral seal with the character 'Jian.' My informant noticed this from the return logs."

  Li Yan nodded. "Understood. And after finding them?"

  "Copy the crucial contents. Do not move the originals, lest we alert them," Cui Yan paused. "If possible... see if there are other related records nearby. A conspiracy of this magnitude couldn’t be documented in just one record."

  "Alright," Li Yan stored the diagrams. "And the extraction? What happens after I get out?"

  "Two streets east of this teahouse is 'Liu Family Cloth Shop,' a Cui family business," Cui Yan said. "After exiting the Armory, go there to change clothes, then leave via the rear door. I will arrange for someone to escort you to a safe location."

  "Quite thorough," Li Yan smiled. "Miss Cui’s business acumen surpasses even my master’s."

  "Likewise," Cui Yan looked at him. "Master Li returned safely from Nanyang and saw through the Hospital trap. You are no ordinary man either."

  They looked at each other, seeing both appreciation and wariness in the other’s eyes.

  Collaboration was possible, but trust had its limits.

  "So it’s settled," Li Yan stood up. "Twenty-fifth of the tenth month, Armory Jia-Zi."

  "Wait," Cui Yan stopped him. "One more thing you should know."

  "Oh?"

  "Yuan Shao and He Jin are both looking for you," Cui Yan said. "He Jin’s men came to the Hall the day before yesterday. Didn’t find you, left a message: 'The General-in-Chief admires your righteous deeds, wishes to fund your investigation.' Yuan Shao’s side is subtler. Sent a gift to the Hall, said it was 'admiration for your righteousness, a small token.'"

  Li Yan raised an eyebrow. "Should I feel honored?"

  "You should feel danger," Cui Yan said seriously. "They want to recruit you now. But if you refuse, or align with the other side, you become an enemy. In court affairs, there is no middle ground."

  "Then I’ll remain my Jianghu self," Li Yan grinned. "A man of the Jianghu doesn’t take sides."

  With that, he turned and descended the stairs.

  At the stairway, he looked back. "Oh, Miss Cui, that orchid fragrance is nice. But it’s autumn. Next time, try osmanthus. More fitting for the season."

  Then, clomp, clomp, clomp—down the stairs he went.

  Cui Yan sat where she was, momentarily stunned, then chuckled softly.

  Qingwu whispered, "Young Mistress, this man... is he reliable?"

  "I don’t know," Cui Yan shook her head. "But he is interesting."

  She walked to the window, watching Li Yan exit the teahouse and disappear around a street corner.

  "Notify Cui Jun to begin preparations," she said softly. "Also, have the cloth shop make arrangements. On the twenty-fifth, nothing can go wrong."

  "Yes."

  VII: The Script Revealed, and an Unexpected Discovery

  Nineteenth day of the tenth month, rear courtyard of the Hall of Benevolent Healing.

  Li Yan prepared the Revealing Reagent according to the formula. The process wasn’t complicated but required patience: boiling madder root for its juice, filtering; grinding alum into powder, sifting; boiling aged vinegar, letting it cool. Mix the three in proportion, let it sit overnight.

  The next morning, the reagent was ready—deep red, viscous, with a faint sour smell.

  Li Yan spread the four jade token fragments on the table, dipped a brush in the reagent, and gently applied it.

  He waited.

  Half an incense stick later, faint golden script gradually surfaced on the tokens!

  Not maps, but four lines of verse—or perhaps, four cryptic sayings:

  The Azure Dragon hides its scales;

  The White Tiger conceals its claws;

  The Vermilion Bird burns its feathers;

  The Black Turtle sinks into sand.

  One line on each fragment. The script was tiny but clear.

  Li Yan quickly transcribed them, then called Master Sun over.

  "Master, you’ve seen much of the world. What do you make of this?"

  Master Sun stared at the four lines for a long while, frowning. "This is... directional prophecy. Azure Dragon signifies east, White Tiger west, Vermilion Bird south, Black Turtle north. 'Hides scales,' 'conceals claws,' 'burns feathers,' 'sinks into sand'... likely indicates hiding places."

  "Hiding what?"

  "Evidence, perhaps. Or something else," Master Sun fetched a map of Luoyang. "Look, the four lines correspond to the four outskirts: Azure Dragon position is east of the city, White Tiger west, Vermilion Bird south, Black Turtle north. Each line should also correspond to a date..."

  He pointed at "hides its scales." "Scales are like armor, jia, the first. So perhaps the first, eleventh, or twenty-first day of the month. Conceals claws—claws are extremities, so maybe month’s end. Burns feathers—feathers are light, perhaps mid-month. Sinks into sand—sand is scattered, maybe a scattered day..."

  They pored over the map and calendar. Finally, they deduced four dates: Azure Dragon position—twenty-first of the tenth month; White Tiger—twenty-eighth; Vermilion Bird—fifteenth; Black Turtle—third of the eleventh month.

  "The fifteenth has passed," Li Yan pointed at the Vermilion Bird position. "South of the city... what’s there?"

  "The imperial burial grounds, and a few aristocratic villas," Master Sun said. "Hard to investigate."

  "Then start with the Azure Dragon position," Li Yan decided. "Twenty-first of the tenth month, the day after tomorrow. I’ll check east of the city."

  But plans rarely survive contact.

  On the morning of the twenty-first, as Li Yan prepared to head east, he noticed a sudden increase in Western Garden patrols in that area. Inquiry revealed it was "strengthening security around the imperial tombs."

  Something was wrong.

  Li Yan promptly changed plans, turning to the White Tiger position—the western outskirts’ mass burial ground. Remote, unlikely for the Western Garden Army to react quickly.

  The western mass burial ground lived up to its name.

  Grave mounds packed densely, most without tombstones, only tilted wooden markers; some had none at all. The autumn wind swept through, tall grass swaying, moaning like countless aggrieved souls weeping.

  Li Yan wandered among the graves, following the clue "White Tiger conceals its claws," searching for possible hiding spots.

  "Claws... claws..." he muttered. "Tiger claws gripping the earth—should be underground. And 'conceals' means deeply hidden."

  He walked to a slightly elevated mound and scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, digging sounds came from afar!

  Li Yan swiftly hid behind a large grave mound and peered out.

  About a hundred paces away, seven or eight men were digging up a grave. Not grave robbers—their movements were light, careful, as if searching for something specific, not looting valuables.

  Stranger still, though dressed as commoners, their movements were coordinated, practiced—clearly trained.

  "Dou Wu’s old followers?" Li Yan’s heart stirred.

  He waited patiently. About half an hour later, the group unearthed a ceramic jar from the grave, carefully extracted it, wiped it clean, placed it in a cloth sack. Then they quickly refilled the grave, restored its appearance, and prepared to leave.

  Just then, another group rushed from the woods!

  Western Garden Army men, over a dozen, armed with blades, charging directly at the grave diggers.

  "Not good!" Without thinking, Li Yan burst from behind the grave, simultaneously pulling out a lime powder pouch and rushing towards the Western Garden men.

  "Who goes there?!" the Western Garden leader barked.

  Li Yan didn’t answer. He flung the lime powder into the air, and amidst the confusion, grabbed the leader of the grave diggers and ran.

  "Follow me!"

  The two plunged into the woods, twisting and turning, shaking off pursuers, and hid in a cave.

  Inside, Li Yan finally got a clear look at the other man: in his forties, weathered face, but eyes determined.

  "Many thanks, righteous brother, for saving us," the man clasped his fists. "I am Zhao Wu. May I ask..."

  "Li Yan," Li Yan gave his name directly. "You are followers of the late Grand General Dou Wu?"

  Zhao Wu’s expression changed, his hand moving to his sword hilt.

  "Easy," Li Yan waved a hand. "I’m investigating the Dou Wu case, also searching for the jade token secret. Those four cryptic lines—you know of them?"

  Zhao Wu stared at him for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "We know. They are the Grand General’s final clues, pointing to four pieces of evidence. Together, they can prove the truth of what happened back then."

  "What did you just dig up?"

  "The White Tiger position’s evidence," Zhao Wu said. "A list recording some of the court officials who supported enthroning Prince Liu Suan back then. Following our ancestors’ instructions, we move it every few years to avoid discovery."

  "And the Azure Dragon position’s?"

  "Seized by the Western Garden Army three days ago," Zhao Wu gritted his teeth. "Our men arrived too late; it was already dug up. Now only the Vermilion Bird and Black Turtle evidences remain unfound."

  Li Yan’s heart sank.

  Jian Shuo moved faster than he’d thought.

  "What will you do next?"

  "Move, continue hiding," Zhao Wu said. "Before the twelfth month, these evidences must not fall into the eunuchs’ hands. Otherwise..." he paused. "Those who participated back then, and their descendants... all will die."

  Li Yan was silent for a moment, then took out the four jade token fragments from his robe. "Take these back. Might be useful."

  Zhao Wu took them, looked, then shook his head. "No, you keep them. The Grand General said the tokens would find their rightful person. Since you have them, it is heaven’s will."

  He stood up. "Brother Li, today’s life-saving grace, Zhao Wu will remember. If you ever need help in the future, go to the blacksmith shop west of the city, ask for Old Zhao, say 'forge a Green Dragon blade.' Someone will assist you."

  With that, he clasped his fists in salute, turned, exited the cave, and swiftly vanished into the woods.

  Li Yan stood there, looking at the jade tokens in his hand, then at the sky outside the cave.

  The sun set in the west, dusk enveloping everything.

  Time was growing increasingly tight.

  VIII: Advanced Plans on a Rainy Autumn Night

  Night of the twenty-second day, tenth month.

  Secret chamber, Stargazing Tower.

  Li Yan and Cui Yan met for the second time.

  This time, Cui Yan wore a light veil, but Li Yan recognized her by her form and voice. He didn’t point it out.

  Li Yan recounted his encounter at the White Tiger position and the theft at the Azure Dragon position. Cui Yan listened quietly. When he finished, she spoke:

  "The Western Garden Army transported an iron chest from the eastern outskirts directly into Armory Jia-Zi. My informant saw it. The chest was small but heavy, heavily guarded."

  "Likely the Azure Dragon position’s evidence," Li Yan said. "Zhao Wu said it was a list."

  "Then we cannot wait any longer," Cui Yan stood and paced the chamber. "Jian Shuo already has part of the evidence. If he finds the records in Armory Jia-Zi and can corroborate them, he’ll piece together a 'truth'—the truth he wants, of course."

  She turned to Li Yan. "The original plan was the twenty-fifth. But circumstances have changed. We must move earlier."

  "When?"

  "Tomorrow night," Cui Yan said. "Twenty-third of the tenth month. The Western Garden Army has a temporary rotation adjustment—arranged by Jian Shuo to strengthen Armory Jia-Zi security. But it’s also an opportunity—new guards unfamiliar with the layout, confusion during handover."

  Li Yan thought. "Alright. What preparations do I need?"

  "Proceed as discussed," Cui Yan walked back to the table, spread out the Armory Jia-Zi layout map. "I’ve already had Cui Jun apply for an inspection tomorrow under the 'fire safety check' pretext. He will delay as much as possible, create confusion. You seize the chance to infiltrate, find the records in Section Geng, copy the crucial contents."

  She pointed to a spot on the map. "Here, a ventilation shaft leads directly to the basement. Guards usually ignore it. Enter there. After exiting, still go to Liu Family Cloth Shop to change. I’ll arrange an escort to a safe location."

  "Understood," Li Yan nodded. "Anything else to note?"

  "If discovered," Cui Yan looked at him, "do not fight. Withdraw immediately. I will activate a contingency plan, arrange extraction outside Armory Jia-Zi’s west wall. But that’s the last resort, high risk."

  "Don’t worry, I value my life," Li Yan smiled.

  Cui Yan was silent a moment, then said softly, "Be careful."

  Li Yan was slightly taken aback, looked at her. Though veiled, he could sense the sincerity in those words.

  "You too," he nodded.

  They discussed a few more details before Li Yan left.

  Cui Yan sat alone in the secret chamber, no lamps lit. Moonlight streamed in from a high ventilation shaft, casting a cold, pale square on the floor.

  Qingwu entered from the hidden door. "Young Mistress, all is arranged."

  "Mmm."

  "Young Mistress," Qingwu hesitated. "Do you think... Li Yan can succeed?"

  "I don’t know," Cui Yan shook her head. "But it is our only chance."

  She walked beneath the ventilation shaft, looked up at the patch of night sky.

  Autumn rain began to fall again, a steady patter drumming on the roof.

  "Qingwu," she suddenly asked. "Am I doing the right thing? Dragging the family into this whirlpool, placing our stakes on a man known for less than a month..."

  Qingwu lowered her head. "The Young Mistress’s decisions are always right."

  "Are they?" Cui Yan smiled bitterly. "But this time, I am not certain either."

  She remembered her grandfather’s words: The most important thing in chess is control. But now, she couldn’t control Jian Shuo’s moves, couldn’t control Li Yan’s choices, couldn’t even control the direction events would take.

  She had merely lit a spark, not knowing how large the fire would grow, or who it would burn.

  Outside, the rain grew heavier.

  Meanwhile, Li Yan had returned to the Hall of Benevolent Healing. He didn’t sleep, sitting under the eaves of the rear courtyard, watching the rain curtain, adjusting his night-operations gear.

  Master Sun approached, handed him a bowl of ginger soup. "Drink. Drives out the chill."

  Li Yan took it, drank it in one go, the spice making him grimace.

  "Master," he suddenly asked. "Do you think I’m meddling in affairs that aren’t my concern?"

  "Only wondering that now?" Master Sun sat beside him. "Too late."

  "True," Li Yan smiled. "Already this far. No turning back now."

  He remembered his master’s words: What a man of the Jianghu should never owe is a debt of gratitude. Once owed, it must be repaid.

  He now owed Cui Yan a debt, owed Dou Wu’s old followers justice, owed the dead the truth.

  So, he had to do it.

  "Master, if I don’t return tomorrow—"

  "Don’t speak such inauspicious words," Master Sun cut him off. "If you don’t return, I’ll go to Nanyang and find that old drunkard, make him compensate me for my apprentice."

  Li Yan laughed heartily, patted Master Sun’s shoulder. "Alright, with you saying that, I’ll have to come back no matter what."

  The rain fell harder, a chaotic deluge between heaven and earth.

  Li Yan gazed at the rain, thought of that Miss Cui he’d saved in the Ghost Market, her calm eyes, her words "Be careful."

  "These waters," he murmured to himself, "run deeper and deeper."

  But having jumped in, he could only swim forward.

  Swim to the other shore, or... drown in them.

  There was no third path.