Jiang Chenbi didn’t know where she pulled out a packet of medicinal powder from, her eyes glinting with mischief. Cui Wangshu knew right away that she was up to no good.
Cui Wangshu asked, “When do you plan to make your move?”
Jiang Chenbi rubbed her chin. “My people will arrive tomorrow morning. We haven’t verified it yet, but I think Zhang Sanshui and his father are almost certainly involved. I’m just not sure how many others in the village are too.”
Cui Wangshu raised an eyebrow. “So you think this village is strange too. I thought you were too busy chatting with Aunt Liu.”
Jiang Chenbi pursed her lips. “When we came out of the cave, the people who surrounded us came from their homes, not from the fields. They weren’t farming during the day. At first, I thought the village made its living from crafts, so I didn’t think much of it. But after hearing what Aunt Liu said, it all makes sense now.”
Cui Wangshu nodded. “When we went back to Aunt Liu’s house, I noticed how dead the village felt. It was a bright sunny day, but there was this chill in the air.”
Jiang Chenbi sighed. “Let’s not talk about that for now. We’ve already delayed so many days in the Imperial Mausoleum, and now we’ve run into this creepy village. Who knows when we’ll make it back? Your unexplained disappearance like this…”
Cui Wangshu’s expression grew serious too. “The Emperor probably knows by now. My father must be looking for me too. But I don’t know the situation at court yet. We’ll decide the next step once my people arrive.”
As they spoke, they arrived at the Nianchai Tavern that Aunt Liu had mentioned. Along the way, quite a few people eyed them furtively—some out of curiosity, but most with ill intent.
Jiang Chenbi and Cui Wangshu silently met their gazes as if they noticed nothing.
Once inside, Cui Wangshu sat down in a chair and said, “Waiter, two liang of wine first.”
The waiter brought the wine quickly. The two sipped it while scanning the people in the tavern.
As expected, Zhang Sanshui and an older man were already drunk. He was probably his father, Zhang Yong.
Cui Wangshu said in a low voice, “This Zhang Sanshui knows some kung fu.”
Jiang Chenbi asked, “How do you know?”
Cui Wangshu withdrew her gaze. “He looks sickly, but the callus on the palm of his right hand is the kind that comes from years of martial arts practice or farming. Aunt Liu said Zhang Sanshui doesn’t do any work.”
Jiang Chenbi thought for a moment and asked, “According to you, that kind of callus builds up over time. What has he been training for all this while?”
Cui Wangshu frowned and murmured, “I don’t know. Looks like we have to pay his house a visit tonight no matter what.”
With that, their gazes returned to the two men.
Zhang Sanshui shook the wine jar and saw it was empty. With a loud bang, he smashed it on the ground and shouted, “Where’s the wine?! Bring more!”
Seeing his tantrum, Jiang Chenbi rolled her eyes inwardly and continued watching.
The waiter came out with a jar of wine and hurriedly said, “Hey, Brother Sanshui, here’s your wine. No need to take it out on the jar.”
The waiter meant well, but Zhang Sanshui, drunk as he was, took no notice. He suddenly stood up, grabbed the waiter by the collar, and yanked him close.
He spewed filth from his mouth. “I’m drinking here to give your place face. Keep yapping, and I’ll show you what it means to beg for death.”
The waiter’s face changed. He quickly said, “Brother Sanshui, I was wrong. Please let me go.”
Seeing the waiter beg, Zhang Sanshui didn’t stop. Instead, he smirked like he’d found an opportunity. “Begging for mercy? Too late!”
With that, he smashed a wine bowl over the waiter’s head. Fresh blood trickled down from his forehead.
Cui Wangshu stared coldly at the culprit, her grip tightening on the Onyx Iron Fan, looking ready to stand up and intervene.
Jiang Chenbi hurriedly pulled her back and whispered, “Don’t be impulsive. We’re already drawing attention. If he gets wary, how will we investigate tonight?”
Cui Wangshu took a deep breath and lowered her voice so only Jiang Chenbi could hear. “I’m an imperial official. I can’t just sit by.”
Jiang Chenbi thought for a moment before saying, “Who knows who you are here? Besides, Zhang Sanshui’s just a drunk. This waiter is fit and able—why doesn’t he fight back himself? Instead, he’s waiting for someone else to draw the drunk’s fire?”
As soon as Jiang Chenbi finished, Cui Wangshu frowned. She understood what Jiang Chenbi meant, but…
Cui Wangshu lowered her eyes, her lashes casting a small shadow that hid the complicated emotions in her gaze. She relaxed her furrowed brow, pried Jiang Chenbi’s hand away, and said calmly, “I have another plan for this. You stick to the plan.”
Jiang Chenbi frowned, not yet grasping her intent, when she saw Cui Wangshu already heading forward.
“What wrong did he commit for you to beat him like this? Do you still have any respect for the laws of Great Zhao?” Cui Wangshu gripped Zhang Sanshui’s wrist, her eyes icy.
Jiang Chenbi thought she understood Cui Wangshu pretty well after their shared perils. She was cautious and prudent, never acting without certainty.
Yet today, she was stepping in so publicly… Jiang Chenbi watched the “righteous” expression on Cui Wangshu’s face and realized what she meant by “another plan.”
A cold smirk tugged at her lips as her gaze lightly swept over the indifference in Cui Wangshu’s eyes.
Hypocrite.
While all eyes were on Cui Wangshu, Jiang Chenbi quietly slipped away.
Zhang Sanshui was stunned for a moment before sizing up the woman blocking him. He recognized her as the beauty from the Capital who had arrived that morning.
Remembering the icy glare of the woman who came with her, he shivered involuntarily. He glanced around and, seeing she wasn’t there, relaxed.
With his usual roguish grin, he spewed lewd words. “Yo, isn’t this the little beauty from the Capital? Where’s your friend?”
Hearing this, Cui Wangshu glanced subtly toward where Jiang Chenbi had been. Seeing she was gone, the corner of her eye curved faintly.
She turned her gaze back to Zhang Sanshui and frowned. “Watch your mouth.”
Zhang Sanshui leered. “This waiter disrespected me, so you’re going to make him respect me, huh?”
As he spoke, his eyes lingered brazenly on Cui Wangshu’s chest.
Cui Wangshu narrowed her eyes. Before Zhang Sanshui could react, a black shadow flashed at the corner of his vision. Then his head felt like it had been smashed by a boulder.
Cui Wangshu had sent him flying with one swing of her iron fan. He lay there, dazed for a long time. His father, Zhang Yong, rushed over upon seeing his son hit, cradling him and wailing, “Son! What happened to you?”
He then glared venomously at Cui Wangshu. “You bitch! What did you do to my son?”
Cui Wangshu toyed with the fan in her hand, mimicking Zhang Sanshui’s roguish tone. “What did I do? He just disrespected me, so I gave him a little lesson. Isn’t that how you handle things around here?”
Cui Wangshu hadn’t used her full strength. Zhang Sanshui groaned on the ground for a bit before recovering, the alcohol sobering from him too.
He clutched his head, glaring murderously at Cui Wangshu and cursing, “You bitch! You dare show off here? Do you know who I am?”
Cui Wangshu sneered. “No, I don’t. Do tell.”
Zhang Sanshui gritted his teeth, his face twisted in malice. He knew his father’s so-called village head title was just self-proclaimed and useless against outsiders, especially a worldly young lady from the Capital.
His eyes darted to Cui Wangshu’s face, and an idea sparked.
Supported by his father, Zhang Sanshui stood. He glanced at the time outside and said stubbornly, “I’m letting it slide this time since you’re a woman who doesn’t know the rules.”
As he turned to leave, Cui Wangshu called out, “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Zhang Sanshui snapped impatiently, “What?”
Cui Wangshu narrowed her eyes. “An apology. To the waiter and to me.”
Zhang Sanshui laughed coldly. Whether it was fear of her fan or something else, he looked reluctant but still apologized.
Watching Zhang Sanshui’s retreating back, Cui Wangshu narrowed her eyes. She’d hoped he’d put up a real fight so she could gauge his skills, but he was all show.
At that moment, the waiter, who hadn’t spoken, finally did. “Thank you, miss, for saving me.”
Cui Wangshu turned to size him up and asked, “Why didn’t you fight back?”
The waiter gave a wry smile and explained.
He wasn’t hired by the tavern. He lived with his ailing mother, who brewed the wine while he sold it. With no other family or relatives in the village, he couldn’t afford to provoke Zhang Sanshui.
Normally, Zhang Sanshui didn’t hassle him when sober, but he always caused a scene before leaving drunk. Offending him would shut down their business, so the waiter endured it with a smile.
Cui Wangshu lowered her gaze, her thoughts unreadable. After a moment, she said, “Go bandage that up.”
The waiter smiled. “It’s fine, I’m used to it. By the way, miss, he said you’re from the Capital. I have a letter I want to send to my foster sister there. Mailing it means going to the county seat, but with my mother so ill, I can’t leave her. Could you kindly take it for me?”
Cui Wangshu’s gaze lingered darkly on the waiter’s face, her pupils contracting. The next second, a smile curved her lips. “Sure.”
The waiter flashed a toothy, somewhat foolish grin, hurried to the back, fetched the letter, and gave her the address.
Cui Wangshu examined the letter in her hand, pressing her fingertip lightly against the envelope. She felt nothing unusual—just the thin texture of paper.
She frowned, wondering if she’d misjudged.
Recalling Zhang Sanshui’s sudden change in demeanor, Cui Wangshu felt her suspicions were correct. Before she could ponder the letter further, a sharp sting hit the back of her neck.
It felt like a bee sting. She gritted her teeth and cursed inwardly. Then dizziness overwhelmed her.
As she fainted, Cui Wangshu thought, How is it this trick again?
