“It’s the Tang Sect!” After his shout, the deputy leader covered his head and scampered back into the stronghold, the rest of the bandits scattering. None of them paid any heed to Jiang Ling as they staggered away from the gate and hid in the stronghold. 

Jiang Ling availed herself of the confusion to run out. 

Tang Sect? Why did the Tang Sect come here?

Jiang Ling searched around in the forest surrounding the stronghold but did not find anyone hiding. She could only go back to find Wang Tianqi. 

Once she met up with the road, Wang Tianqi was waiting for her with two horses in tow. The two of them rode away to meet back up with A Qiu. 

“Don’t take risks like that next time. If something happened to you, how could I still be considered your da-ge?! Wang Tianqi said in self-reproach. 

“I was playing it by ear.” They had unexpectedly been unsatisfied by merely stealing the goods, so Jiang Ling had to follow along with the bandits to lead them away. 

“Wang-dage, are there people from the Tang Sect here, too?” Based on the deputy leader’s appearance just then, someone from the Tang Sect had indeed acted from the shadows, “Just now, someone seems to have killed the Paijing Gang’s leader with a hidden weapon.”

Wang Tianqi had not expected that with one blow, the leader of the Paijing Gang would be killed in their stronghold, “The people of the Tang Sect come and go without a trace, so they could have been in the area. Moreover, the Paijing Gang stirred up no end of trouble under the Tang Sect’s nose in Yuzhou. It’s not impossible for them to lend us a hand here.”

The Tang Sect moved like a shadow, appearing and disappearing mysteriously. Jiang Ling had let a golden opportunity to contact the Tang Sect slip by her. 

The Pajing Gang’s leader had met with a sudden death, so the bandits would likely be in chaos for a while. Wang Tianqi and Jiang Ling caught up to the rest of the caravan, letting A Qiu breathe a sigh of relief. When A Biao came over, he told Jiang Ling that when she went to the stronghold on her own, A Qiu had been filled with worry and only be at ease upon personally seeing her come back safely.

A Qiu rebuffed Wang Tianqi and A Biao one after the other for half the day. Wang Tianqi smiled wryly and cupped his hands in salute, “Little sister Jiang Ling, let your sister-in-law have mercy on me.

A Biao also pulled a long face, “Miss Jiang, stay behind me next time.”

“So Brother Biao wanted to be mistress of the stronghold instead!” One of the other men called, sending the rest of the men into uproarious laughter. 

For a time, the escort company was filled with joyous laughter. Jiang Ling likewise could not suppress a smile. 

The dangers of the Paijing Gang had, unexpectedly, been resolved with ease. The escort company continued on the winding, endless trail until a wide, flat plain graced their sights. Wang Tianqi faced this rich land and said, “We’ve exited the mountains, so we’re close to Chazhou, the land of bounty yoh.”

Chazhou and Yuzhou shared a border. The residents’ clothing and food in either region, and even the accent, were, from Jiang Ling’s outside perspective, about the same. However, Yuzhou rested in the area at the foot of the mountains while Chazhou rested on the fertile plains. 

The escort company entered Chazhou City and were immediately greeted with a booming scene: houses lined the street, wine shops as abundant as trees in a forest, taverns stood abreast of tea shops, and those tea shops each neighbored small workshops of all sorts. The rows upon rows of buildings and the never-ending flow of people on the street made the prosperity of the area immediately evident. 

A Qiu and Jiang Ling went to find an inn while Wang Tianqi and the rest of the escort went to their place of interest. 

Jiang Ling arranged their baggage, then called to A Qiu before slipping into the bustling crowd to mosey about aimlessly. The people of Chazhou loved spice, so the air was filled with the scent of hot spices. Jiang Ling wrinkled her nose, unaccustomed to the smell. 

One of the stalls, manned by a girl wearing a cotton-padded jacket with a floral design, was selling rice cakes. Jiang Ling remembered eating them in Yuzhou, “Miss, what are these called?”

“This is called a rice cake, made with glutinous rice.” The girl saw that she was interested and brought out some small clumps of glutinous rice covered in soybean flour, “Miss, do you want one?”

“Mhm.”

The hot rice cake, wrapped in oilpaper, was passed to Jiang Ling. Back then, Gu Yun had also brought some rice cakes for her. That day had also been the first time she had met He Xi. The gemstone on her forehead had sparkled red, shining light onto her life. 

He Xi, where are you?

By the time A Qiu found Jiang Ling, the glorious rays of the setting sun had stained the sky a crimson red, “Why did you go up to the roof?”

When Wang Tianqi and the rest returned to the inn and learned that Jiang Ling had gone out, he did not mind. However, when the sun started to set and she was still missing, he hurriedly went to find her. Unexpectedly, she was on the roof. 

“Sister-in-law.” Jiang Ling scratched her head out of embarrassment, then pulled out the rice cake again and passed it to A Qiu, “My mind was wandering just now. It’s probably cold.”

After returning to the inn, Wang Tianqi gave Jiang Ling the remuneration for their journey, but Jiang Ling only took half, “Wang-dage, I owe you and sister-in-law for your care during the journey. This much is enough.”

Wang Tianqi did not press further, “Are you traveling to Yuzhou by yourself next?” Wang Tianqi planned to bring A Qiu home. 

“Mhm, since it’s not on the way, I won’t bother you and sister-in-law.” If Jiang Ling hastened her pace, she wagered she could reach Yuzhou within a day. 

After bidding Wang Tianqi and the others farewell, she rode by herself on the road to Yuzhou. 

Now, having experienced the presumptions of those mountain bandits, Jiang Ling deeply felt Shangguan Qing’s insistence in her dressing as a man to be absolutely correct. To make the journey easier, Jiang Ling once again donned men’s clothes. 

And so, she arrived in Yuzhou smoothly. Finding the leader of the Tang Sect was another story. Jiang Ling went to the Tang Family’s residence, but was denied entry. The disciples on guard simply said that the sect leader was away, but not where she went nor when she would be back no matter how Jiang Ling asked. 

Jiang Ling wanted to get to the bottom of the matter covertly at night, but who knew that all of the disciples of the Tang Sect were highly skilled and their vigilance top-rate. When Jiang Ling approached the residence they would sense her, so she could only flee before they discovered her. 

As expected of an assassin group. Jiang Ling recognized that her own qinggong was high-level, but even she could not hide from the Tang disciples’ eyes. She felt a little dejected. 

Perhaps she could play the sentiment card and draw on the relationship between Gu Zhao and Tang Wanyi to move the guard disciples. 

The third time she went to the residence, she brought up Gu Zhao, “I know Eldest Miss Gu, so I’ve come to ask your sect leader a few questions.”

Jiang Ling thought she would be able to strike up a conversation by bringing up Gu Zhao, but the disciples instead looked at her murderously and half drew the swords at their waists[1], their killing intent rising, “Just who are you?”

Jiang Ling saw the situation had turned and smiled apologetically, “A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding.”

Those guard disciples probably thought she was investigating Tang Wanyi’s whereabouts. The Tang Sect partook in both good and evil deeds and those who sought revenge were numerous, so the behavior of the guard disciples was excusable. Perhaps she should really write Gu Zhao a letter; when Gu Zhao’s reply arrived, she would certainly be in a better position than she was now, a revenge-seeker. 

“Young master, care to sit down?” Jiang Ling, having been walking by herself, was pulled into a locally famous brothel by the name of ‘Yunxiang Gardens.’[2]

Jiang Ling twisted her brow and uneasily sat in a side room. She wanted to pull away from that girl named Qiu Shi, “Young master, do you dislike me?” Qiu Shi was naturally charming, with a pair of misty phoenix eyes that appeared delicate and moving. The life of sex worker was filled with hardships; Jiang Ling could not bear to refuse her so straightforwardly. 

“I-I don’t.” Jiang Ling refuted, “I’m just not used to these kinds of places, I don’t dislike you.”

“You say you don’t, but you clearly do.” Qiu Shi was used to seeing these kinds of men who put on airs of high moral integrity. They were not as good as those who wore their desires on their faces, but even though she did not like these kinds of men, as long as he did not look at her with disgust, she would carry on as before, “Since this young master says so, then allow me, this young woman, to ask: do you wish to enjoy wine or make merry today?”

“Wine!” Jiang Ling lowered her head and considered, “Do you have wine made from grapes[3], the kind from Xiyu.” She had once seen it in Zhangye but had not drunk any, so she wanted to try a few sips. 

Sure enough, all men were hypocrites. This young master here looked slender and pale, like a scholar. His mouth spoke words of refusal, but his body was honest; with only a couple lines, he had come to sit and have some wine. Qiu Shi slanted a disdainful look at Jiang Ling, but with her head lowered, she did not notice, “As it happens, we do have it.” Qiu Shi immediately called a waiter to serve grape wine in fine porcelain. 

Qiu Shi poured a cup for Jiang Ling, wanting to hold it up for her. Jiang Ling took the cup, “It’s fine, I can do it myself.” She took a sip. The wine, though made from fruit and thus sweet, was, in the end, alcohol. Jiang Ling choked, letting out a few coughs. 

Qiu Shi hurriedly went to rub Jiang Ling’s back, then filled another cup for Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling looked unwell. In truth, she did not like the flavor. She closed her eyes and forced herself to drink the cup until she could not stomach any more and pulled out a bit of silver to cover the expense. 

“Are you leaving just like that, young master?” Qiu Shi was a little reluctant to let her go. 

Jiang Ling stood, preparing to leave. A few waiters before her were pulling a handsome youth of about seventeen or eighteen years of age out of the establishment. The youth was swearing up a storm, causing no small amount of unrest. 

The madam of Yunxiang Gardens followed along as well, straightening the youth’s clothing, “Second young master, have mercy on our small establishment. If your eldest sister knew that you came to find Miss Qi again, she’d tear our shop apart.”

Hearing the madam bring up his eldest sister, the second young master had another source of discontentment, “She had even less right to manage me!” Saying as much, he snorted, sweeping away his sleeves as he left. 

Qiu Shi has long been inured to the sight and still wanted to pull Jiang Ling over for another couple of drinks, “Qiu Shi-jiejie, please spare me. I really cannot drink.” Two cups later and Jiang Ling felt extremely parched and only wanted to flee. 

Jiang Ling’s ‘Qiu Shi-jiejie’ sounded sweet to Qiu Shi’s ears, who enjoyed it immensely, “Alright, I’ll let you off this time. Next time, remember to call on your jiejie here.” As she spoke, Qiu Shi wanted to hook Jiang Ling’s jaw, but was blocked composedly by Jiang Ling. Qiu Shi jeered at her false proprietary again and saw her out. 

The cold wind of the street blew away the dry heat from just then. Jiang Ling tugged on her lapels for some air, then found a tea shop. 

“Hey, can I sit here?”

Hearing this, Jiang Ling raised her head. It was the youth who had been tossed out of Yunxiang Gardens. Jiang Ling looked around and saw that the other tables were indeed full, so she nodded and let the youth sit with her. 

“I saw you over there just now. Won’t your family scold you?” The youth must be from a strict family. 

Jiang Ling shook her head. Her family was not here, either. Aside from her shifu and shijie, she had no family. 

“Aiyah, that’s great. I wish I could live free and easy, too.”

Jiang Ling did not share any topics of conversation with this pampered son of a rich family. As soon as she settled the polite formalities, she bid him goodbye. Jiang Ling still wanted to return and write a letter for Gu Zhao. The time it would take for the letter to be received and replied would not be short. 

The following day, Jiang Ling prepared to send her letter, but thought to try her luck again. Upon arriving at the entrance of the residence, she was surprised to see the youth from yesterday walk out. Seeing Jiang Ling, he even came forward familiarly and spoke, “We are quite fated, meeting again.”

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