Those few people trailed closely behind Chen Shi's wooden cart, keeping a sharp eye on him. Among them, a woman dressed in a red upper wrap and a flared skirt below activated a Thousand-Li Sound Transmission Talisman, whispering to soone unknown.
Their surveillance was cleverly done. At a fork in the road, one person peeled off the main path onto the side road. Ahead of Chen Shi's cart, a resting woodcutter rose at that mont, shouldering two loads of firewood and continuing on, his gaze fixed on Chen Shi.
At the next fork, beside a town marketplace, a scholar slurping noodles spotted Chen Shi's cart passing by. He didn't finish the bowl, just sucked in the strands dangling from his lips, tossed money on the table as he stood, and hurried onto the provincial road to the capital.
Along the way, the people shadowing Chen Shi rotated through two or three shifts, their faces all different—except for the woman in the flared skirt, who never changed.
Chen Shi sat in the cart, appearing oblivious, but in truth, he took in every detail, his heart gripped with alarm.
This Commander Zhai Qing of the Capital Guard could mobilize so many people in Xinduo to watch —his influence is beyond imagination!
By evening, the wooden cart rolled into Xinduo's provincial city.
Chen Shi had been to the provincial city once before, when the Qianyang Mountain Lord revived and seized his body, flying him here. That ti, he'd watched the outside from within a small temple.
Coming here in person this ti was naturally a world apart.
Xinduo Provincial City was built along the coast. On the eastern side by the sea, towering city walls rose imposingly.
The walls were sheer, crowned with massive bronze mirrors that emitted the creaking grind of gears now and then. The mirrors swiveled, shining on the ocean to repel demons and monsters.
Beneath the eastern walls lay the slums, where Xinduo's poor scraped by in shanties amid muddy, narrow, crowded streets teeming with all sorts from every walk of life.
Aside from people, the most abundant were Xinduo rats—huge ones that popped from sewers to steal food, sotis even snatching children.
To the west lay the rich district, ho to officials, nobles, rchants, and landlords.
South and north of the city were commoner quarters, bustling with trade and goods of every variety.
Living in the city ant no worry over evils, for the Ten Thousand Souls Banner and Earth Book guarded it. Any evil slipping in was instantly detected and slain.
If soone died in the city, their body had to be burned at once to prevent it turning evil.
But this was Xinduo after all, overrun with rats. Sotis one died and, under moonlight, beca an evil that hard people.
Even the Ten Thousand Souls Banner and Earth Book missed those at tis, causing no small chaos.
Such things were hard to eradicate; they hid in the sewers.
Then talisman masters were hired by the yan to venture in and purge them.
Chen Shi's wooden cart entered the western district. His residence was there; when Governor Xu Jian sent the deeds, he'd included a map.
Following it, Chen Shi arrived at his estate's gates. The compound was vast, a grand household with paired drum stones like bookcases flanking the entrance and triple steps leading up.
Chen Shi approached and knocked. The gate cracked open a palm's width, revealing a pretty girl with lively eyes. She blinked at him, lit up with joy, and flung the doors wide.
"Master's back! Juanzi, Xiaofeng, co quick! Master's ho!"
She ushered him in with unrestrained delight, as if she'd known him forever, laughing.
"Master, us sisters have been waiting on stars and moon for you to co ho. At last, you're back!"
Chen Shi was stunned by the wave of warmth, but he'd never laid eyes on this girl before.
Several more maidens dashed out from the courtyard, like fledglings in shades of purple and red.
They sward him, chirping like sparrows: Master must be tired, Master hasn't been ho in ages, and such. The enthusiasm overwheld Chen Shi, yet secretly thrilled him.
One girl brought a copper basin of perfectly warm water, with clean white towels ward for him to wipe his hands, face, and neck.
A manservant led Blackie Pot and the cart to the back gate, opening it to let them in.
Blackie Pot grumbled with a couple of unhappy woofs at the different treatnt.
But a manservant soon ca to groom his fur, another bearing strips of exotic beast at, feeding him one by one like a lordly hound.
Blackie Pot's mood flipped to delight; he was most pleased.
Even the wooden cart got attendants dusting it off, oiling, and polishing.
Chen Shi couldn't recall sitting in the grand armchair, nor lifting the teacup of fragrant brew, nor when the girls had helped him change into comfortable everyday robes.
One knelt half-crouched at his feet, massaging his calves, then pounding upward with small fists. Behind, another kneaded his shoulders with perfect pressure—not too hard, not too soft.
"Master's bliss is beyond outsiders' imagining."
Chen Shi set down his cup, sighing inwardly.
Then the doors were removed by manservants, revealing the opposite playhouse in full view. Strings and pipes struck up as a flamboyantly costud songstress glided onstage, dancing gracefully.
Her voice rang out like a lark, lilting and sweet.
She sang "Song of Everlasting Sorrow," leaping into the air with fluttering silk ribbons weaving through the playhouse. She trod the silks aloft, drifting over the lotus pond out front, dancing on the leaves.
Two more girls appeared at the pond's sides, flinging long sleeves that ford a bright moon encircling the songstress.
Bathed in moonlight, she reclined against its curve, sorrowful, her song mournful—lanting the emperor's heartlessness, yet laced with lingering attachnt.
Master's days were sheer paradise.
Chen Shi clapped, shaking his head in admiration.
"This is a life fit for immortals. Who'd have thought Master Chen gets to savor it?"
"Have so of this made for my grandpa!"
Master Chen's heart was kind; as he enjoyed the tune, he thought, "Grandpa toiled his whole life without such pleasures."
alti ca. The maids helped Master Chen change into dining attire, lest the food's scents cling to his daily robes. Another brought warm water to wash and wipe his hands and face.
Chen Shi had just sat when the kitchen staff's dishes arrived, borne in procession by the girls—bowls, plates, platters brimming with delicacies from mountain, field, and sea, everything imaginable.
No need for him to reach for chopsticks; a girl fed him bites. A glance told them what he wanted next, straight to his mouth, with another ever-attentive to dab his lips.
Such joy made him forget Huangpo Village.
Chen Shi sighed in contentnt. Why bother with fights and killings in days like these?
Just savor it.
At the yan, Governor Xu Jian listened to his spy's report, detailing Chen Shi's indulgences at the estate. He nodded in satisfaction, smiling at Censor Xia Mingdong beside him.
"Sir Xia, this ploy from the capital is masterful.
"Even a hero crumbles in the face of tender charms."
Censor Xia laughed.
"Chen Shi's feared poverty so long, one taste of these charms washes away his edge. He'll sink into wine, won, and song, unable to pull free."
General Cui Zhen chuckled too.
"As the saying goes, poverty breeds cunning, wealth noble hearts! Poor, he was a vicious fiend, death trailing wherever he went. Two Xintang governors, one Xinduo magistrate, one Lei County magistrate, one Gongzhou governor—all fell because of him.
"Now with money and status, he'll tread lightly, terrified of losing this sweet life."
Bao the Assessor grinned.
"Once you've got sothing to lose, you get timid.
"We all do—Chen Shi's no different."
In the yan, Xinduo's top officials gathered. Chen Shi's estate crawled with their eyes and ears; every move, every word was theirs to know.
His first night in the western mansion demanded close watch, so reports poured in nonstop.
"A house like that guzzles silver like water. His talisman work—peanuts and raisins—might not cover a day's spend in a month."
Commander Zhai Qing laughed.
"Run dry of funds, and he'll co begging.
"To get money, he'll co to us.
"Then Child Scholar's ours."
"And Xintang knows peace!"
The group roared with laughter.
Another report ca.
"Sirs, Master Chen's bathing. The maids wanted to join; he shooed them out."
"Pity, pity. Still a virgin, never tasted at."
Governor Xu, Censor Xia, and the rest laughed.
"Sirs, shall we wager? On how many days till he breaks?"
Vice General Yan Wang grinned.
"I bet tonight! All those blooming beauties—I dare him to hold out! Thousand taels of silver!"
"Two days!"
Proclamation Commissioner Li Yin laughed.
"Child Scholar's still got so restraint.
"Thousand taels from
too!"
Excitent rose; bets flew.
Soon, another report.
"Sirs, Master Chen's pruning bamboo."
Governor Xu froze.
"Pruning bamboo? When he should be bedding won? Probe again!"
Monts later, a report.
"Master Chen's asking where the previous governor's widows live."
The yan fell silent, stunned.
The prior governor was Li Xiaozheng, lost exploring the stone ship—likely dead. The widows Yan Jingshu and Xia Weiyin stayed in the southwest estate with their household, never returning to Quanzhou roots.
Another report.
"Sirs, Master Chen turned bamboo into birds.
"The bamboo he pruned just beca flocks of birds that flew off."
Officials exchanged uneasy glances.
Bao the Assessor spoke up.
"I've checked the files. Chen Shi clashed with Li's family in Xinduo County—over a wet nurse from Li House killing a scholar candidate's pupil, stealing their Wen Chang Divine Embryo. Chen Shi and another tutor stord Li House!"
Cold sweat beaded on brows; they rose. Li Yin bolted for the door, fuming.
"He dares touch my sister-in-law? He's begging to die!"
Yan Wang and Xia Mingdong startled too, charging out. Yan Jingshu was Yan family married off; Xia Weiyin Xia stock—they cared deeply.
"Three sirs!"
Governor Xu called.
"He's Child Scholar—capital's word is iron. You can't touch him!"
Li Yin chilled.
"Nearly a disaster! Thanks for the reminder, Governor Xu!"
Governor Xu said,
"But we can't let him run wild! Go guard the two madas—no mishaps!"
Li Yin, Yan Wang, and Xia Mingdong assented, dashing off.
Night had fallen, moonlight bright. Forr Governor Li Xiaozheng's Li Manor lay quiet.
In Li's heyday as governor, nights buzzed: dances nonstop, guests toasting, laughter to the skies, strings and pipes till dawn.
But the dead settle all scores. Now Li Manor chilled, only so retainers and servant girls and boys left. To cut costs, most retainers were dismissed.
Second Mada Yan Jingshu cultivated. She'd neglected it long.
The world was unfair to won. Cultivation was hard; for won, harder. Pregnancy lasted ten months, barring Golden Core formation then.
Reach Golden Core? Discard it to conceive.
She'd been a noted talent in the Yan family once, but marriage and pregnancy forced her to shatter her core.
Three children later, youngest Li Tianxiu just twelve.
After his birth, she lost heart for practice. With Li Xiaozheng in charge, what need?
Now Li Xiaozheng vanished, the household's burden on her and First Mada Xia Weiyin. She had to cultivate, hoping for breakthroughs to turn the tide.
Then, crisp birdsong outside.
Yan Jingshu opened her eyes. A kingfisher perched on the window lattice, feathers vividly green.
She marveled: a kingfisher this late?
More flew in, crowding the lattice, so into her room. Sharp beaks turned, eyeing her.
Sothing felt off. A shout from outside:
"Two sisters-in-law, those birds are wrong—hide!"
The words barely reached her when the birds launched, turning to sharpened green bamboos!
Yan Jingshu flashed to her son Li Tianxiu pierced by bamboo!
"It's him!"
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Bamboos hurtled with fearso force, slashing like swords, crisscrossing the small room. Sword qi riddled walls with dozens of holes!
Peer through: Yan Jingshu's body riddled too!
Sa instant, First Mada Xia Weiyin skewered by dozens on her bed.
Bamboos pierced vital; death instant!
At Chen Manor, Chen Shi stood by the window, gazing at the moon. He raised a hand; the paper crane flapped to life, soaring as an immortal crane.
Qiaowan Town, Wencai Academy. Tutor Fu Leisheng slept. *Tap-tap* at the window.
He rose, donned robes, opened it: a paper crane pecking.
Fu Leisheng paused, unfolded it. Under moonlight, elegant firm script read:
"Examiner Tian Huaiyi, classmate Shen Yusheng—great vengeance avenged. Noble widows slain. Tutor, worry not.
"Your student Chen Shi bows!"
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