“Come on, you have to get involved in the world one way or another.”
“Sister Xi, in the valley, you’re the boss, but outside, you have to listen to me,” Shi Cuiyan said confidently.
Xi Fuhong couldn’t help but grumble internally. Even in the valley, she still had to listen to Shi Cuiyan; otherwise, why would she be standing here? Shi Cuiyan, uninterested in guessing her thoughts, pulled her along down the mountain.
Relying on memory, they arrived at the nearest small village. Lu Jian Village was a hunter’s village with no inns or tea stalls, so Shi Cuiyan led Xi Fuhong to a dilapidated temple, saying they would sleep there for the night.
“My dry rations got soaked, so we’ll have to skip a meal. We’ll head into the city tomorrow,” Shi Cuiyan said.
Hearing this, Xi Fuhong didn’t mind. Too many strange things had happened that day, and she hadn’t had time to process her complex emotions, so she didn’t feel hungry. She found a clean spot to sit, leaning against a wooden pillar with her legs curled up.
Shi Cuiyan ignored her and sat down on a mat. She took out a paper package from her sleeve, and Xi Fuhong, hearing the rustling, looked up to see Shi Cuiyan holding a piece of skin with small holes in it. She placed it on her face, sticking it here and there, and in the blink of an eye, her beautiful face turned into that of an old woman with a pockmarked face.
“Sister Cui, what is this?!” Xi Fuhong suddenly felt wide awake, staring in surprise at the unfamiliar face.
“Hehe, don’t be alarmed, Sister Xi. This is a disguise technique, useful for traveling in the Jianghu,” Shi Cuiyan said with a sly smile, eyeing Xi Fuhong’s face. “Unlike you, Sister Xi, who is naturally beautiful and doesn’t need a disguise.”
Seeing that pockmarked face smiling mischievously, Xi Fuhong, even if slow, understood her meaning. Wasn’t she just mocking her for being ugly? She turned away in a huff, burying her face in her knees. She hadn’t cared about her looks before, but after seeing Shi Cuiyan’s fairy-like beauty, she couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful of how unfair the heavens were, making her so ordinary and even giving her a big red birthmark.
That night passed in silence, with Xi Fuhong sighing and Shi Cuiyan exhausted. The next day, before the sun rose, Shi Cuiyan urged Xi Fuhong to get moving. They picked some fruit along the official road to stave off hunger and finally reached their destination before noon.
Looking up at the grand city gate with the words “Que Yi” written in red wood, Xi Fuhong had never seen such a massive structure and couldn’t hide her excitement. However, due to her plain appearance, she felt timid and hesitant, which Shi Cuiyan found somewhat unsightly. Even though Shi Cuiyan had disguised herself as an ordinary girl, she couldn’t hide her innate elegance and love for appearances.
Grabbing Xi Fuhong’s arm, Shi Cuiyan quickly led her through the crowd, stopping in front of an inn. Before Xi Fuhong could ask, Shi Cuiyan turned into a nearby alley, and Xi Fuhong hurriedly followed, only to see a group of ragged, disheveled old men.
“Sister Cui?” Xi Fuhong called out in confusion from the wall.
The alley was full of those old men, and the air was sour and foul, making her eyes water. But Shi Cuiyan seemed unfazed, waving her hand and walking further in.
“Wait here, I’ll be right back,” Shi Cuiyan said to Xi Fuhong, squatting by the roadside like the old men.
Xi Fuhong didn’t want to stay long, so she waited at the only well-ventilated spot, her tall figure blocking most of the light like a giant Buddha. Shi Cuiyan glanced at her, pursed her lips, and then tossed a piece of silver to the old beggar in front of her.
“The usual deal, tell me everything you know,” Shi Cuiyan said seriously, frowning. “Don’t try any tricks; I’m not a fool.”
“Of course, miss! Of course!” The old beggar grinned, showing his rotten teeth. “You wouldn’t believe it, but after you left the city, a whole bunch of men followed, saying they were going to Wu Feng Valley, even people from Shi Sect came.”
“Do they really think they can break in with just a few people? Ridiculous,” Shi Cuiyan muttered.
“I saw at least seventy or eighty people, and they haven’t returned yet. Besides…” The old beggar’s eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice. “The Luo Family also sent people, but they were discreet. If I hadn’t been begging outside that day, I wouldn’t have noticed.”
Shi Cuiyan’s face darkened at this. She knew the Jianghu warriors were ambitious but lacked skill, but she hadn’t expected the Luo Family to investigate as well. Fortunately, she had left quickly; otherwise, with the Luo Family’s skills, she might not have found Gui Po, let alone captured the girl.
But thinking about the Luo Family’s envoy reporting back that there was nothing in the valley, Shi Cuiyan felt smug.
“Anything else?” Shi Cuiyan asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile.
“That’s it, just that,” the old beggar shook his head vigorously. Shi Cuiyan suddenly narrowed her eyes, reached out, and snatched the silver back from the old beggar’s hand. The beggar’s face changed, and he pleaded, “Good miss, what are you doing? I’ve told you everything, why take the money back?”
“Do you think those few scraps of information are worth this much? Fine, I’ll give you fifty copper coins,” Shi Cuiyan said with a playful smile, her eyes gleaming. The old beggar realized he had met his match. In all his years of begging and selling information, he had never encountered such a clever and cunning girl.
“Oh, I can’t hide anything from you,” the old beggar admitted defeat. He had hoped to sell some mystery for a few more coins, but now he had to spill everything. “Two days ago, disciples from Bi Xuan Palace also came, but only two, and they haven’t left the city.”
Bi Xuan Palace? Hmph, what business do they have with Tiger Dragon Cave…
“Alright,” Shi Cuiyan said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “I’ll add another twenty coins.”
“My dear lady, there’s really nothing else. You can ask my brothers if you want,” he said, seeing Shi Cuiyan’s silent smile and the silver slipping away. He was unwilling, but finally said, “Well, the young master of the prince’s mansion was caught keeping a mistress outside, and his wife found out. He was hung up and beaten for half a day, and his screams could be heard throughout the alley.”
“Who wants to hear about that nonsense!” Shi Cuiyan exclaimed, jumping up in frustration, and finally tossed seventy copper coins before leaving.
After leaving the alley, they went straight into the inn. Xi Fuhong had never been to such a place and timidly followed Shi Cuiyan. The inn was quiet, with only three tables of guests in the large hall, and even the waiter seemed too lazy to greet them. But out of professional duty, he asked, “Are you here for a meal or a room?”
Shi Cuiyan, unfazed by the waiter’s indifference, simply said they needed a room.
“Alright, miss, please follow me.” The waiter turned and headed upstairs, but Shi Cuiyan didn’t move.
“Sister Xi, you go up first. I’ll take a walk and be back soon.”
“It’s already dark, and you still want to go out?” Xi Fuhong asked with a frown.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. If you’re hungry, just ask the waiter to bring some food to the room.” With that, Shi Cuiyan didn’t linger any longer. As she turned to leave the inn, the innkeeper suddenly looked up at her and then placed a letter on the edge of the table.
Shi Cuiyan casually picked it up as she passed by, and Xi Fuhong didn’t notice this scene.
Watching her slender figure disappear into the night, Xi Fuhong finally turned and went upstairs.
The night was as dark as ink, the silver moon like a hook. In a fleeting moment, a nimble figure flitted across the treetops, light as a feather, silent as a ghost.
This person was Shi Cuiyan. She gathered her energy and leaped, landing precisely on the eaves three stories high. Then she jogged over one house after another, so quietly that even the cats on the eaves didn’t notice her footsteps.
