As dawn broke with dim light, the branches in the suburbs were coated with a thick layer of ice. The road was mixed with frozen debris, making it nearly impossible for Shen Suining to advance even on the blood-sweating horse she had taken from Wan Hua Lou.
Seeing the vast emptiness ahead without a single soul in sight, Shen Suining simply dismounted. She exhaled into her palms to warm them and hopped in place, stomping her feet to generate some body heat.
Before long, Shen Fengyu’s shouting came from behind. She was driving a carriage recklessly, nearly overturning it several times, which made Shen Suining’s heart race with fear. She couldn’t help but yell, “Can’t you slow down? My heart is about to leap out of my chest!”
Before the words fully left her mouth, Shen Fengyu yanked the reins hard. The carriage, sliding on the icy road, lurched forward uncontrollably and nearly crashed into Shen Suining.
Shen Suining cried out in alarm, jumping aside repeatedly. She huddled by the roadside, clutching her trembling heart.
“You’re just standing there talking without feeling any pressure!”
Before Shen Suining could unleash a torrent of curses, Shen Fengyu jumped down from the carriage, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “If I didn’t hurry, you’d be stranded here alone without any money, freezing to death by the roadside sooner or later!”
As she spoke, Shen Fengyu shoved a hand warmer into Shen Suining’s hands.
Clutching the warm object, Shen Suining immediately broke into a grin. “Yes, yes, it’s always Manager Shen who cares for me the most.”
After drugging He Hansheng, Shen Suining had leaped from the second-floor window and chased in the direction Sheng Qingge had fled. She hadn’t brought anything with her—even the clothes and fox-fur cloak she wore were taken from some unknown room.
After all the commotion, Shen Fengyu, who had stayed behind to handle the aftermath, had expended considerable effort.
Shen Fengyu sighed quietly to herself.
The road ahead was truly difficult to traverse, and with the snow falling intermittently, the two decided to take shelter at an inn in the suburbs and wait for the snow to stop before making further plans.
Once they settled into their room, Shen Suining immediately snatched Shen Fengyu’s account book to examine it carefully.
Shen Fengyu shot her a fierce glare. “Relax, not a single coin was spent.”
“How is that possible? I broke so many things and took someone else’s clothes.” Shen Suining bit her fingernails anxiously, fearing she would see an astronomical number the next second.
Shen Fengyu initially wanted to explain that the mysterious handsome gentleman had splurged a fortune to buy a night with Sheng Qingge, but Wan Hua Lou had lost track of her. The manager, too embarrassed to lose face and worried about breaking Jianghu ethics, had let it slide.
But on second thought, Shen Fengyu gave up. She felt that Shen Suining’s stingy and careless nature needed to be corrected.
As Shen Suining meticulously checked the accounts, Shen Fengyu sat sipping hot tea nearby. Suddenly remembering something, she asked abruptly, “Did you get a good look this time?”
“Huh?”
“That man,” Shen Fengyu said with a teasing smile. “Did you see him clearly? Does he meet your standards?”
Shen Suining had been fully absorbed in the account book, but Shen Fengyu’s question struck a nerve. She set the ledger aside and sighed to herself.
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me… he’s hideous?”
Shen Suining sighed again. “He’s quite handsome, actually, but…”
“But what?”
Shen Fengyu’s curiosity was piqued. Given Shen Suining’s nature—never picky about food and always ready to flirt with anyone—what kind of man could make her wear such a bitter expression, even neglecting her account books?
“Only…” Shen Suining hesitated, probably feeling embarrassed. After squirming for a long while, she finally whispered the truth: “His skills are truly exceptional. I couldn’t defeat him.”
“…” Shen Fengyu wondered if she had misheard. After a moment of silence, she uttered, “Huh?”
Shen Suining grew even more dejected. As the esteemed Shao Zhu of Shuyu Villa, young master of the top martial arts school in Jiangnan, and leader of Bifeng Hall, she actually couldn’t defeat an unknown nobody! If this were to spread, not only Bifeng Hall but the entire Shuyu Villa and even the entire martial world would laugh at her for the rest of her life!
Unexpectedly, Shen Fengyu blurted out the next second: “Isn’t that perfectly normal?”
Shen Suining: “???”
“…” Shen Fengyu forced a dry laugh, realizing she had spoken out of turn, and quickly changed the subject: “But speaking of which, Wan Hua Lou deliberately let Sheng Qingge escape, offending both Shuyu Villa and another faction while ruining their own reputation. It’s a loss all around. Without Sheng Qingge as their star attraction, how many wealthy patrons would still be willing to spend lavishly at Wan Hua Lou?”
Mentioning serious matters, Shen Suining’s expression instantly turned stern as she voiced her speculation: “Wan Hua Lou was willing to do this simply because Sheng Qingge isn’t just their star performer—she’s the true power behind the scenes.”Shen Fengyu chuckled incredulously, ‘I’ve never heard of a behind-the-scenes leader personally entertaining guests.'”
“What if Zhang Shihai is just a front?”
Shen Fengyu froze for a moment before suddenly understanding: “You mean Zhang Shihai only bids openly, but someone else actually spends time with Sheng Qingge on the tenth of each month?”
“It’s not impossible, right?” Shen Suining smiled, dipping her finger in water to sketch Wan Hua Lou’s floor plan on the table. “Sheng Qingge’s residence is separate, located here. Apart from one corridor leading directly to the Celestial Room, the other three sides are sealed off. Wan Hua Lou has an unwritten rule: except for the successful bidder on the tenth of each month, Sheng Qingge meets no outsiders. This corridor to the Celestial Room is also closed off, meaning aside from the guest in the Celestial Room and Sheng Qingge herself, no one knows who truly shares those intimate nights with her.”
The more Shen Fengyu thought about it, the more it made sense, yet something still didn’t connect. The feeling of half-understanding was unbearable.
Just as she was about to ask Shen Suining for clarification, Shen Suining had already gotten up and lay down on the couch, turning her back to her. “Going to sleep. Figure out the rest yourself.”
Shen Fengyu: “…”
…
He Hansheng was jolted awake—inside a carriage.
He opened the window and took a deep breath.
The snowy road was slippery. Even though Jiang Yuchu was exceptionally careful to slow down, the carriage’s stability was worse than usual, especially on the rugged mountain path where the slightest misstep risked destruction and death.
“Yu Chu, it’s getting dark. Let’s find a place to rest.”Yes, young master.””
He Hansheng closed the carriage window, feeling his body still somewhat weak, his head aching slightly. Having been unconscious for so long without eating, he was starting to feel hungry.
“Young master.””
“Hm.”
He Hansheng pressed his fingers to his brow, quietly listening as Jiang Yuchu reported: “I’ve sent people to investigate. Those who fought with us at Wan Hua Lou were from the Bifeng Hall of Shuyu Villa. The Bifeng Hall specializes in shady dealings. Their martial skills aren’t particularly fearsome, but they excel in using drugs, incense, poisons, and hidden weapons—all underhanded methods. And also…”
“And what else?”
Jiang Yuchu paused before continuing: “I’ve heard the leader of Bifeng Hall is a woman skilled in disguise and seduction. She can even mimic different voices when speaking. No one has ever seen her true face. Young master, we must be cautious when confronting them.”
He Hansheng thought of the woman who barged into his room during yesterday’s bidding and smirked disdainfully. “Understood. How did the interrogation of Zhang Shihai go?”
“He… suddenly died on the way to the authorities yesterday.”
He Hansheng’s eyes sharpened. “Dead?”
“Yes. He was already advanced in years and indulged heavily in pleasure-seeking. His body was long depleted. Yesterday’s shock proved too much for him.”
“Do any of his family members know anything?”
“No. Zhang Shihai had a notorious reputation. His first wife took their children and remarried over a decade ago. The concubines who came later were only after his money. Though Zhang spent extravagantly, his funds came from that person above, so naturally none reached his concubines. They all left over time. The only one who stayed was the woman who fell to her death at Wan Hua Lou yesterday—she originally served as Sheng Qingge’s maid.”
Thus, the number of people in the know dwindled further.
He Hansheng’s expression grew increasingly grave. Trapped in this frozen landscape where movement was difficult, he had already lost the initiative and misplaced his thousand-li blood-sweating stallion. If Sheng Qingge were found and killed by Shuyu Villa first, Princess Biyue’s case would truly become an unsolved mystery.
…
The snow fell heavier, accumulating ankle-deep in just half a day.
Shen Suining woke from the cold. The charcoal brazier in the room had long gone out. Squinting at it, she kicked Shen Fengyu awake beside her. “Go get two catties of charcoal from the landlady.”
Still groggy, Shen Fengyu grumbled, “Why don’t you go yourself?”
“I’m the Shao Zhu!”
Unable to argue with rank, Shen Fengyu rose with muttered complaints, sat on the bed to collect himself, then dressed to fetch the charcoal.
“Never mind, I’ll go myself.” Before Shen Fengyu could leave, Shen Suining jumped out of bed.
Shen Fengyu stared in astonishment. “Wow, has the sun risen in the west?”
Shen Suining rolled her eyes and plopped back down in a huff. “Fine, you go then. I’ll find the landlady to order some dishes. I’m starving to death.”
“If you want food, why not have the waiter bring it to the room? Why bother going downstairs for the landlady?”
Shen Fengyu found it strange. After all, Shen Suining was inherently lazy—she’d never take an extra step if she could eat lying down. Had she undergone some transformation today?
Mulling it over, Shen Fengyu returned to sit on the bed, staring fixedly at Shen Suining.
“What?” Shen Suining snapped impatiently. “Still standing there? Trying to freeze me to death?”
“Going, going,” Shen Fengyu chuckled knowingly. “The landlady’s quite pretty—caught your eye again, hasn’t she?”
As he spoke, Shen Suining aimed a kick at him. Shen Fengyu laughed and dodged, heading out to get the charcoal.
In no time at all, Shen Suining had changed into men’s clothing and went straight downstairs, heading directly toward the innkeeper at the counter.
Shen Fengyu, who was fetching charcoal with the waiter, immediately saw through her intentions. His lips twitched, and he was left speechless in disbelief.
Ignoring Shen Fengyu’s presence, Shen Suining walked straight to the counter, leaped onto the table, and sat there with an unrestrained posture, casually grabbing a jar of wine from the shelf.
Her eyes fixed intently on the innkeeper as she tore open the seal on the wine jar with her teeth, taking large gulps of the liquor. The wine trickled down her chin, wetting the fake stubble, but she carelessly wiped it away with her sleeve.
“…” Witnessing the entire scene, Shen Fengyu felt his stomach churn. Covering his eyes in dismay, he quickly followed the waiter upstairs with the charcoal.
The innkeeper, who had been fiddling with her abacus, glanced up at the commotion and smiled. “You look unfamiliar, sir. Are you a guest who just arrived today?”
“You find me unfamiliar, but to me, miss,” Shen Suining tilted her head back for another swig of wine and leaned in closer, “you are like a dream from yesterday, the one I’ve been longing for day and night.”
She deliberately lowered her voice to sound rougher, matching her current disguise.
The innkeeper chuckled, raising a hand to press against Shen Suining’s lips. “Sir, please don’t tease me. If you’re here to stay, I’ll arrange a room for you.”
“What if I don’t have a single coin on me?”
“Then you can repay with something else,” the innkeeper eyed Shen Suining’s face up and down, her gaze ambiguous. “That handsome face of yours is worth a fortune.”
Shen Suining laughed heartily, wrapping an arm around the innkeeper’s shoulder. “You’re quite straightforward, miss. I feel an instant connection with you, as if we were destined to meet. May I ask your name and age?”
“I’m twenty-six, and my name…” The innkeeper’s eyes grew cold as she enunciated each word: “Sheng. Qing. Ge!”
As the words fell, Sheng Qingge struck out with a palm toward Shen Suining. The wine jar on the counter shattered instantly, but Shen Suining nimbly flipped backward to evade, landing on the table and grinning at Sheng Qingge. “Such a fiery temper, miss! I like it!”
“Enough nonsense!”
Sheng Qingge sent another wine jar flying with a surge of inner energy. Hearing the commotion, Shen Fengyu, who had come downstairs, hooked a stool with his foot and kicked it forward. The jar shattered mid-air, spilling wine all over the floor.
Sheng Qingge sneered, “I’ve long heard that there’s nothing Shuyu Villa cannot take! My life is worthless, but let’s see if you two have what it takes!”
“Wait!” Shen Suining urgently called out. “We’re not here to take your life!”
“Save those lies for the King of Hell!”
As the fight ensued, He Hansheng’s carriage was approaching.
Hearing the noise, Jiang Yuchu immediately gripped the sword at his waist. “Young master, be careful!”
With that, Jiang Yuchu kicked the horse hard. The horse whinnied in pain and galloped swiftly toward the inn. Just as the carriage was about to crash, it burst apart. The master and servant leaped onto the wall and jumped into the stable in the inn’s backyard.
Jiang Yuchu froze for a moment, pointing at a horse in the stable. “Young master, your blood-sweating steed!”
“Watch out!”
The sounds of fighting from the inn rose and fell. Just as He Hansheng was about to investigate, all the doors and windows of the inn suddenly swung open, releasing several streams of white smoke that instantly enveloped the entire building.
Caught off guard, He Hansheng choked on the smoke. Sensing someone emerging from the door, he immediately leaped forward to confront them, exchanging a palm strike with the opponent.
After sensing hostility, the two sides became entangled in combat within the thick smoke. Hearing the commotion, Jiang Yuchu immediately joined the fray.
After several rounds of fighting, the thick smoke gradually dispersed, allowing both sides to finally see each other clearly. They exclaimed in astonishment, “It’s you!”
Shen Suining was so enraged that she laughed instead, pointing at He Hansheng for a long moment without being able to speak. She finally said to Shen Fengyu, “You go after her. She couldn’t have gone far.”
“Yes!”
Shen Fengyu immediately mounted his horse, with Jiang Yuchu closely following in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, He Hansheng, who remained standing in place, bowed to Shen Suining with a hollow smile. “We meet again, Miss Cuihua.”
Author’s Note:
【Mini Theater】