In the darkness of the night, a small ball of paper was tossed over the high walls of the Chen Estate, landing in the obscure, dim little alley outside the wall. In the darkness, a hand covered in calluses steadily caught it.
A middle-aged man carrying a Carrying Pole—who walked through the streets and alleys selling hot tofu pudding—set down the Carrying Pole from his shoulder and cautiously unfolded the paper ball. The calluses on his hand produced a rustling sound as they rubbed against the paper. Once he saw the contents on the paper clearly, he immediately set down the Carrying Pole from his shoulder.
Hanging from the Carrying Pole were two wooden chests. The front chest held a small clay stove, simmering a low fire to keep the tofu pudding warm. The rear chest held pots, bowls, ladles, and basins. This comprised the entire livelihood and belongings of a small peddler.
The middle-aged man opened the rear wooden chest and reached inside to rummage for a long time, actually pulling out a grey carrier Pigeon.
He tied the paper ball to the Pigeon's leg and abruptly raised his hand to release it into the air. The Pigeon flapped its wings, flying over layers upon layers of buildings, heading toward the Northern Region.
Watching the Pigeon vanish into the night sky, the middle-aged man picked up his Carrying Pole again and swayed unsteadily as he walked toward the exit of the alley.
On the roof ridges in the distance, the pitch-black and furry Wu Yun stood up and followed behind stealthily. The paw pads on her feet stepped onto the grey tiles without making a single sound.
The middle-aged man didn't sense a thing.
However, in the instant he was about to step out of the alley, he suddenly whipped his head around. In his eyes, there was no longer the simple honesty and naivety of a small peddler; there was only the sharpness of a falcon: "Who is it?"
Stopping in her tracks, Wu Yun shrank her body into a ball.
She felt puzzled in her heart. Had she been discovered? Impossible. She was separated by a distance of several zhang; how could the other party have discovered her? Furthermore, the direction the other party was looking was not toward her side.
Wu Yun pondered. Perhaps this middle-aged man wanted to bluff and flush out anyone secretly tailing him, fighting an imaginary enemy.
In the next moment, the middle-aged man's shoulders shook slightly, and the two wooden chests on his Carrying Pole immediately fell to the ground.
Holding the Carrying Pole, he forcefully hurled it. That bamboo Carrying Pole actually flew toward the darkness like a Spear. Yet, when the Carrying Pole entered the darkness, it was like A Stone Sinking into the Sea, disappearing without a trace.
The alley was completely silent, as if the Carrying Pole had vanished into the void.
Looking down from the roof ridges of buildings in the distance, Wu Yun was startled. She looked left and right with her head... Where did the Carrying Pole go? Could there truly be someone else in that alley?
In the blink of an eye, a 'buzzing' sound rang out, and that Carrying Pole returned the same way it went. As fast as it had left, it returned just as fast.
The middle-aged man's expression changed. Lifting the wooden chest at his side, he raised it to block.
With a 'bang', the front end of the Carrying Pole pierced into the wooden chest, shattering the clay stove and Iron Pot inside. Unable to withstand this massive force, the rear end bent and shattered inch by inch into bamboo strips, twisting like a fried dough twist.
Struck by this blow, the middle-aged man stumbled backwards five or six steps before stabilizing his posture.
There truly was someone else in the alley!
Wu Yun was somewhat confused and couldn't figure it out. Not only was Chen Ji targeted by someone the moment he returned to the Chen Estate, but who was this other person in the alley?
Who was monitoring Chen Ji? And who was it that, just like her, wanted to figure out the monitor's identity?
Wu Yun was confused. Where did all these people pop out from, ah!
At this time, a pitch-black shadow the height of a human walked out step by step from the darkness into the moonlight. Wu Yun's eyes widened. What walked out was actually not a human, but a bizarrely-shaped, pitch-black spirit!
It had a sheep's body and a human face. The human face grew on its chest and abdomen, and a massive, bloodthirsty maw stretched from its left armpit to its right armpit. The black hair curling around its four hooves resembled four black auspicious clouds.
Black mist steamed from the spirit's entire body, looking as if it had walked out from the netherworld.
The middle-aged man's expression twisted in shock: "Esoteric Sect's Mandala Secret Seal?"
After saying that, he turned and ran.
Leaping lightly onto the rooftop, that black spirit followed closely behind.
In the dead of the quiet night, the man weaved through alley after alley, yet he was absolutely unable to shake off the black spirit on the roof. Like an antelope, the other party traversed the undulating roof ridges as though walking on flat ground.
Fierce and ruthless!
Wu Yun didn't dare to get too close, only able to follow from a distance.
After running for a long time, the man was already out of breath. Panting heavily, he pulled out a Short Blade from his sleeve and turned around to face the spirit squarely.
Standing on the Eaves, the pitch-black spirit quietly scrutinized the man, as if pondering how it should deal with the other party.
A moment later, the spirit suddenly pounced downward. The bloodthirsty maw on its chest opened wide, swallowing the middle-aged man—along with his Short Blade—completely whole in one gulp.
...
...
Inside the Mingquan Courtyard, Xiaoman, who was huddled on the small wooden stool, let out a burp.
The burp was thick and solid, forcefully jolting her awake.
Opening her sleep-deprived eyes, Xiaoman turned to look at the Honey San Dao on the table, muttering in annoyance and regret, "I can't eat anymore... Young Master said it'll cause indigestion."
But even as her mouth said this, she still got up stealthily, pinched three pieces of Honey San Dao from the table, and stuffed them into her mouth. "Hehe, I won't get indigestion."
Xiaoman's eyes darted around. With her cheeks bulging, she looked at Chen Ji sleeping soundly on the bed. Tiptoeing to the bedside, she waved her palm back and forth in front of Chen Ji's face.
Seeing Chen Ji didn't react, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. Cautiously spinning over to the clothes rack, she began feeling around Chen Ji's clothes. As she felt around, she vigilantly cast glances backward.
On the bed, Chen Ji opened his eyes and watched Xiaoman's back. When Xiaoman turned her head to look, he closed his eyes again.
A moment later, Xiaoman pulled out two strings of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency from Chen Ji's clothes. One string was the two thousand five hundred taels given by Prince Jing, and the other was the remaining one thousand one hundred taels given by Chen Wenzong after Chen Ji bought the Ginseng.
She carefully felt the micro-carved patterns on the currency, and kissed them against her lips. Then, showing an expression of internal conflict in her eyes, she stuffed the Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency back in.
Sitting back on the small wooden stool in dejection, Xiaoman cupped her face in her hands and watched the flickering charcoal fire, muttering in a low voice, "Please don't be swindled away by someone again..."
As she spoke, the window shifted slightly, and Wu Yun squeezed in through the crack like a stream of liquid.
Placing a finger to her lips, Xiaoman gave a "Shh!" sound. "Keep your voice down. Young Master is still sleeping."
Glancing at Xiaoman, Wu Yun leaped lightly down from the window, then leaped onto Chen Ji's bed, letting out a soft "Meow."
Xiaoman glared at her. "Didn't I just say not to disturb Young Master's sleep? You're not cute when you act like this!"
Right at this moment, the sound of a rooster crowing rang out from outside the room. Immediately after, someone set off firecrackers in Emerald Cloud Lane. The crackling sounds tore through the veil of night.
Sitting up, Chen Ji asked in confusion, "Who is setting off firecrackers early in the morning?"
Xiaoman explained, "Did Young Master forget? Today is the promotion banquet for the Zhang Estate and Chen Estate. According to the rules, to celebrate a major joyous occasion, one string of firecrackers must be set off at the Mao hour, one string at noon, and another string at the Zi hour at night. It holds the same symbolic meaning as setting off firecrackers on New Year's Day: sweeping away the old and welcoming the new, as they are about to assume their new Official Positions."
Chen Ji let out a long "Oh."
At this time, Xiaoman's eyes darted around. Asking a question she already knew the answer to, she said: "Young Master, I heard you received two thousand five hundred taels of silver from the Construction and Preparation Bureau. Is that true?"
Looking at Xiaoman with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, Chen Ji said, "It is true. What of it?"
Suddenly tilting her head up, Xiaoman looked expectantly at Chen Ji and said, "How about you let me manage this silver for you!"
Chen Ji froze. He truly hadn't expected Xiaoman to speak so directly. "What do you need so much silver for?"
Looking down at her toes, Xiaoman said, "I'm truly afraid your silver will be coaxed away by someone again. When the time comes and you want to marry a legitimate daughter from another family, you won't even be able to produce the Betrothal Gifts. Nanny Li said that Auntie could have originally married into a modest, respectable family as a primary wife. It was precisely so that you could have a better family background and backing that she condescended to marry into the Chen Family as a concubine."
Chen Ji remained silent. He knew that Madam Lu marrying into the Chen Family wasn't that simple. Back then, a Minister of the Ministry of Revenue of the Chen Family had died!
Counting on her fingers, Xiaoman detailed: "If you want to marry a legitimate daughter of an illustrious family, setting aside ten miles of red dowry, let's just talk about the Betrothal Gifts. Six thousand four hundred taels of ceremonial silver, eighty taels of welcoming silver, forty taels of door-knocking silver, sixty taels of net-increase silver, ten taels for the master of ceremonies, and eight taels for welcoming the marriage certificate. Then comes eight gold items, two wild geese, four chickens and four ducks each, two cows and two sheep each, twelve bolts of silk... Master and Madam definitely won't prepare this much for you. You have to accumulate some family wealth yourself for it to work."
Chen Ji was Dumbfounded. "Stop, stop! Why does it require so much?!"
Xiaoman looked at him in confusion. "This is the rule for illustrious families in the Capital City, ah! Only this is considered respectable and dignified. But you don't need to worry either; the dowry brought by the bride won't be any less than your Betrothal Gifts."
Chen Ji waved his hand. "Stop talking. I have no plans to marry, much less an illustrious family's legitimate daughter."
Xiaoman thought for a moment. "Then not marrying an illustrious family's legitimate daughter is also fine! You can just marry a pretty girl from a humble family. When the time comes, I'll help you manage your silver, purchase some fertile land and shops, and you can live your whole life as a wealthy patriarch... Can you let me watch over your silver? It doesn't have to be a lot. Once we reach the capital, just give me five hundred taels of silver. If I can make money for you, then you can hand the rest over for me to manage."
Chen Ji refused heartlessly: "Not giving it. Give up on this thought, I can manage it well myself. Furthermore, perhaps one day I'll become a high official and take back all of Auntie's properties."
Eyes full of anticipation, Xiaoman asked, "Really? My heart aches for those properties on your behalf; I feel so choked up in the chest just thinking about them."
Chen Ji gave an "Mhm."
Xiaoman's eyes darted around again. "Then, once you've taken the properties back, how about Xiaoman helps you manage them?"
Chen Ji sighed with emotion. "Why are you so obsessed and persistent about this?"
Xiaoman muttered softly under her breath, "I've suffered hardship for so many days. Without silver in hand, my heart panics terribly... Forget it, I'll go boil water for you to wash your face, and then comb your hair. Many important figures are coming today. I heard the Zhang Estate transported several carriage loads of fish caught from the sea from the Eastern Market yesterday, along with shrimp and crabs the size of a palm! You'll bring me along with you, right?"
Chen Ji smiled. "Alright. I'll bring you along."
Humming a song, Xiaoman skipped and bounded happily out the doors. Inside the room, watching her back, Chen Ji asked Wu Yun in a low voice: "Sheep's body, human face?"
Wu Yun meowed. "Absolutely true."
Lowering his head, Chen Ji pondered for a moment. "A Taotie?"
The
Classic of Mountains and Seas
recorded: "Its shape is like a sheep with a human face, its eyes are under its armpits, it has tiger's teeth and human claws, and its voice is like a baby's." This spirit that popped out from nowhere was clearly extremely similar to the description of a Taotie.
But who was the one commanding this Taotie?
He already had no relatives by his side in this world. Who was it that discovered someone monitoring him at the very first moment, and wanted to investigate the identity of the mastermind behind the scenes?
As he pondered, the sound of Xiaoman humming a folk song drifted in from the right-side room.
Chen Ji fell deep into thought.
(End of this chapter)