The moon once shone upon an old friend; the friend is gone, but tonight’s moon remains.
A faint smile appeared in Meng Qi’s eyes. He stroked his beard with the air of a wise man who had seen through worldly affairs.
Mo Li: “…”
Getting older is inevitable, but it was impossible for him to be as content as Meng Qi.
For example, when stroking his beard, it felt odd.
Mo Li was merely imitating Elder Qin. His “heart” had never truly aged, so naturally, he wasn’t accustomed to such an appearance. Zhushan County was too small, and everyone knew he was Divine Doctor Qin’s disciple, skilled in medicine. He didn’t even have the chance to “age a little” to gain others’ trust and make his medical practice easier.
His true form was a black-scaled fish, outwardly resembling a carp, complete with whiskers.
Dragons also had long whiskers, and Mo Li, who had believed himself to be a fish “since childhood,” thought they looked rather nice. He never associated whiskers with “old age.”
And while he was used to having whiskers, that didn’t mean he was used to touching them. Do fish have hands?
Dragons do, but their claws are on their bellies, and even if they reached for the sky, they couldn’t touch their chins!
…Wait a minute. Thinking about it that way, sand mice and dragons surprisingly have something in common.
Short claws!
Mo Li recalled the soft, short paws of the sand mouse, which seemed only sufficient to shove food into its mouth. Perhaps, maybe, it could rub against its whiskers, but it definitely couldn’t reach above its nose. With this thought, Mo Li felt relieved. After all, the Taijing dragon vein could stroke its whiskers even before it took on a human form. Practice makes perfect!
Meng Qi never imagined that this was what Mo Li was thinking about. When he saw Mo Li’s troubled gaze turn into one of relief, he thought that his profound and lofty demeanor had won over his beloved.
The National Preceptor was full of self-satisfaction.
Everything was going according to his plan. Why else would he have gone through the trouble of persuading the doctor to grow old together?
Mo Li had to see the “real National Preceptor Meng,” the eighty-seven-year-old version.
Eighty, seven, years old!
Just hearing that is enough to make one’s scalp tingle, not to mention all the strange rumorsโthese had been circulating since the Chu Dynasty.
For example, it was said that Emperor Chu Yuan abolished the Jinyiwei on the surface, but secretly kept a group of loyal death warriors and spies at his command. The seemingly unworldly National Preceptor, who claimed no desire for power, was actually the leader of this covert force. Some people thought otherwise, believing National Preceptor Meng knew everything because he was skilled in controlling ghosts, keeping many fierce spirits by his side who could kill without leaving a trace. It was said that even if court officials were whispering secrets to their concubines in the privacy of their beds, these ghosts could overhear and report back to the Preceptor.
The rumors grew increasingly exaggerated. Eventually, it was said that Meng Qi wasn’t human but a ghost himself. On full moon nights, he would feast on human hearts, drink virgin blood, or dig out livers from living people. This led terrified officials to crowd into Taijing’s most popular temple, the Baoguo Temple, to pray for protection.
In one instance, the court was investigating corruption within the Ministry of Personnel, and Meng Qi merely gave a small official a glance, scaring him so much that he fainted on the spot. Afterward, the rumors became even more outlandish.
Meng Qi mused that his age had become an issue. When they returned to Zhushan County and encountered County Magistrate Xue Ting, who might have heard all the rumors, the situation would be incredibly awkward.
No, the doctor had to know what the “real National Preceptor Meng” was like before then.
Meng Qi thought his strategy had succeeded, solving a major problem. He even found himself more patient with the masked assassins bent on murder and arson. Smiling as he greeted the returning Dr. Mo, he said, “Such trivial matters, and you still had to get involved. It really wasn’t necessary.”
Mo Li: “…” Meng Qi used to say that calling by courtesy names was too ordinary, like common folk. Yet now he used it more smoothly than anyone.
Could it be that after growing old, his mindset had changed?
Or had the Preceptor become thoroughly addicted to pretending?
What should he do if the sand mouse liked to play along?
He could only play along too!
“You’re too kind, Brother Qihang.” Mo Li waved his sleeve, pretending to be indifferent.
The scout leader stared at Mo Li, as if trying to memorize his appearance, and pretended to salute, asking, “May I ask where this old gentleman hails from, and how should we address you?”
“A nameless guest from the wild mountains, a carefree person from the bamboo groves. Iโve never concerned myself with worldly affairs. This time, Iโm just traveling with a friend to admire the beauty of rivers and mountains. If you must call me something, you may call me the Bamboo Hermit.” Mo Li spoke without hesitation, having long prepared for this moment. Even the phrases were well-rehearsed.
Meng Qi was slightly surprised; he hadnโt expected this.
After some thought, he realized that “็ฏ” referred to a large area of bamboo, which coincidentally aligned with Zhushan County.
The scout leader never expected Mo Li to tell the truth. Seeing Mo Liโs scholarly demeanor, he couldnโt resist probing him.
Scholars valued their reputation above all else and often had numerous titles. Perhaps Mo Li had casually mentioned a rarely used name, and once the scout returned to Qi’s jurisdiction, he might find some clues!
Faced with the formidable National Preceptor Meng and his companion, the once-aggressive lady innkeeper and her staff, as well as the leader of the masked men, all felt as if luck had abandoned them that day. It truly was a day of misfortune, just like the ominous lunar eclipse earlier!
They hadnโt captured the person colluding with Huang Liu, nor had they retrieved the defense map.
Unable to resort to violence, the only option left was to continue negotiating.
So, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the scout leader reluctantly pulled out a silver banknote. “This is for the damages and the trouble caused to the innkeeper.”
Before he could place it on the table, Mistress Tao raised a hand to stop him, mockingly saying, “A small family business like ours can’t accept silver notes. If you’re giving us a money order from a Jiangbei bank, Iโd have to find a traveling guest to exchange it for usable currency.”
The veins on the back of the scout leader’s hand bulged as he suppressed his anger and said in a low voice, “Look closely! This is a silver note issued by the Fude Bank, the largest bank in Jingzhou, which is on your southern side!”
“Oh! Fifty taels, enough to buy this little inn of mine three times over.” Mistress Tao glanced at the silver note, then broke into a smile, looking every bit the greedy, money-hungry woman.
The scout leaderโs face was hidden behind a mask, so his expression couldnโt be seen, but his eyes clearly conveyed disdain as he tossed the silver note onto the table.
Mistress Tao, however, didnโt move, her face still wearing that overly enthusiastic, fawning smile.
โOnly now, it seemed especially fake.
“You!”
The leader realized Mistress Tao was playing him.
Bandits like her should be shot with a barrage of arrows! And this was across the river, so even if they killed someone and left, it wouldnโt cause them any trouble. But as luck would have it, his subordinates sent to start a fire had mysteriously disappeared, leaving them trapped in this shabby, cramped inn.
The scout leader discreetly glanced at Mo Li and Meng Qi, forcibly swallowing his anger, and unhappily asked, “What does the innkeeper mean by this?”
“Oh, what could I possibly mean?”
Mistress Tao casually picked up a feather duster from the table and swatted the air as if shooing flies, lazily saying, “This little inn, with its large grounds and many rooms, might seem valuable, but it’s old and worn down. It’s freezing in winter and drafty in summer, and itโs so quiet most of the year that no one bothers coming. Even if you tried selling it for three taels, people would think it’s too expensive. If I sold the furniture as firewood, the cost of transporting it would be more than the firewood is worth.”
“Stop talking in circles. What are you trying to say?” one of the masked men beside the leader impatiently interrupted.
Mistress Tao’s eyes sparkled as she smiled brightly and said, “I’m simply telling you all that I donโt care for money. Otherwise, I would have left long ago. Why would I still be stuck in such a small place?”
The crowd: “…”
Who could say for sure? Willingly staying at an isolated inn could just as easily mean she was hiding from enemies.
The scout leader assumed Mistress Tao thought the money was insufficient. He quickly glanced around and then pointed to Huang Liu, who was lying on the floor, saying, “As long as we capture the person behind him, all the silver he has will go to the innkeeper.”
Huang Liu trembled but didnโt dare lift his head.
Mistress Tao, however, burst into laughter, mocking him, “You think you can buy me off with loose change? I know Huang Liu better than you. If heโd really gotten a hundred taels from his backers, he wouldnโt have brought it with him across the river. Heโd have buried it somewhere or hidden it in a hole, hoping no one would ever find it, even if it rotted away. If the job went well, his backers would kill him, and nothing would be recovered from his body. Thatโs what you call dying for moneyโtaking it with you to the underworld.”
Huang Liu’s face turned pale from the insult.
Meng Qi smiled, clearly enjoying the show.
Mo Li, on the other hand, sensed that Mistress Tao hadnโt finished speaking.
Sure enough, her next words were an undisguised jab: “Moreover, if those behind him are both clever and stingy, theyโd pull tricks with the silver notes, just like you lot. Though the bank would destroy the notes after redemption, what if someone managed to counterfeit some used notes? Every banknote has a serial number, and once crossed out, it canโt be redeemed again. If someone showed up at a bank with such a note, wouldnโt they be reported to the authorities and arrested? Iโm not a fool, and neither is Huang Liu when it comes to money. Whoโd fall for such a trick?”
Huang Liuโs eyes shifted nervously; he had indeed demanded silver ingots, not banknotes.
Sixteen taels per pound, a hundred taels of silver would be very conspicuous if carried across the river.
Besides, with the job unfinished, his backers hadnโt given him the full amountโonly half. Now that the scheme had been exposed, he could kiss the rest goodbye. Huang Liuโs priority now was staying alive, not recovering his payment. Instead of trying to shake him down, theyโd be better off catching the mastermind behind him and searching them!
The scout leader frowned and said directly, “Then when we catch the culprits in a few days, the money they traded will go to the innkeeper.”
At this, Mistress Tao didnโt even bother to retort anymore, only responding with a cold sneer.
โShe wasnโt foolish enough to fall for such an empty promise, especially when they hadnโt even figured out who the mastermind was or where they were.
The masked men stirred slightly, hands on the hilts of their blades, ready to act. But when their leader gave an angry snort, they restrained themselves.
Frustrated with Mistress Taoโs defiance, the scout leader, barely controlling his temper, asked, “What exactly does the innkeeper want?”
“I want you all to get out of here, so you donโt dirty my floors.”
“Insolence!โ
The masked men erupted in anger. How dare this lowly woman, just an innkeeper in the wilderness, be so arrogant?
“Our commander has spoken politely, even offered money, and you refuse. Could it be you’re in league with Huang Liu?”
“Exactly! You’re all in cahoots! You all deserve to die!”
“The one who wants the naval defense map can only be Prince Jing or the remnants of Chu’s army on the southern shore! Whatโs there to investigate?”
Mistress Tao remained calm, but her assistant clenched his fists, furious.
The inn was filled with tension, and it seemed a fight was imminent.
“Enough,” the scout leader ordered, stopping the chaos. He glanced around the room, speaking with a meaningful tone. “I believe the innkeeper has nothing to do with the group stealing the defense map. However, if youโre too deeply involved, things could turn out differently. You people of the martial world should stick to your own affairs. Stay away from official matters. I’m saying this for your sake, innkeeper. You run a business here, small as it may be, but if the Jingzhou navy clashes with Qi’s navy, who do you think will suffer? Your peaceful days will be over, and youโll regret it when itโs too late.”
Mo Li furrowed his brow slightly.
The scout leader had been desperately trying to pin a crime on them earlier, seemingly searching for an excuse to act. Now his words carried an undercurrent of rejection, subtly implying that Meng Qiโs position as the National Preceptor of Chu would only complicate matters if he got too involved.
Mistress Tao picked up a chair and handed it to her assistant, loudly declaring, “You think you can fool me with your flowery words? You come in here, all fake politeness, offering money and sweet words. But itโs only because of these two guests, isnโt it? You think I donโt know? The moment they leave, youโll turn around and burn my inn to the ground! Xiao Hezi!”
“Yes!”
The assistant took the chair, his face fierce and ready for action.
“There’s no such thing as guarding against thieves forever. If we let one of you escape today, tomorrow weโll be dead, burned alive! Strike now!”
The scout leader was both shocked and furious, but Mistress Tao had already made the first move.
Hidden weapons were hard to defend against, and with a hulking man trained in iron-cloth kung fu, impervious to blades and spears, smashing bones and breaking arms wherever he went, it was impossible not to engage in the fight.
Once again, the inn erupted into chaos, with the sound of clashing and crashing filling the air.
Amid the commotion, Meng Qi calmly found an intact table, sat down, and even helped himself to a pot from the counter, pouring water into two clean cups. He waved Mo Li over to join him.
Mo Li dragged the once-again escaping Huang Liu back to the table, flicking his sleeve to deflect an incoming hidden weapon, and leisurely accepted the cup Meng Qi handed him.
“The water is good, but itโs a shame thereโs no good tea.”
“Why regret it, Brother Qihang? Feihe Mountain in Yuanyang is famous, and Zhaoxi Cloud Mist Tea is renowned. When the time comes, Iโll treat you to a proper drink,” Mo Li said, blinking mischievously, deliberately using the wrong word. Tea should be “tasted,” but wine is “drunk.”
Drinking tea like wineโnow thatโs crude and inelegant.
The main joke was that Zhaoxi Cloud Mist Tea had a reputation for being incredibly bitter. Mo Li had heard Elder Qin mention it before. So, even though Meng Qi never showed any dislike for Zhaoxi Cloud Mist Tea, and even pretended to appreciate it in front of Ayanpuka, Mo Li could still see through his facade.
A sand mouse afraid of bitter medicine? Liking Zhaoxi Cloud Mist Tea? Ha!
He probably held the cup reluctantly, then gulped it down all at once.
That would certainly count as “drinking” tea.
“…Shizhi, you understand me well.”
Meng Qi’s mouth twitched slightly as he used his inner strength to swat away a masked man who had been thrown at them by the innkeeper’s assistant, all without even turning his head.
In the entire inn, only the table they sat at and the area around it remained untouched.
Huang Liu, watching the flurry of blades and weapons around him, trembled like a leaf in the wind.
“Why does the National Preceptor remain indifferent?” the scout leader spat through gritted teeth as he dodged another hidden weapon. “There are thieves slandering you, accusing the National Preceptor of stealing the navy’s defense map. The moment you crossed the river into Jingzhou, all this chaos erupted. If word spreads, it will damage your reputation. If we capture the mastermind behind this…”
As he spoke, a hidden weapon nearly hit his forehead, forcing him to duck just in time. Furious, he shouted at Mistress Tao, “You damned madwoman! If you had any sense, youโd wait until we captured Huang Liuโs backers before turning against us. Now that weโre at each otherโs throats, arenโt you letting those people benefit? Once they realize their plan is exposed, theyโll kill everyone and burn down your pathetic inn!”
“Thatโs easy!” Mistress Tao sneered coldly. “Iโll wait like a hunter by a tree stump. Huang Liu is the bait. With him, do you think Iโm afraid they wonโt take the bait? As for the pesky flies… they shouldโve been swatted long ago!”
Meng Qi glanced at Mo Li, and the two exchanged a knowing look.
Mistress Tao seemed educated, clearly familiar with old stories and sayings.
Realizing he couldnโt deceive her, the scout leader turned to Meng Qi in desperation.
“National Preceptor, Iโm only offering good advice…”
“Stop!” Meng Qi raised a hand, cutting him off with a half-smile. “Iโm old and stubborn. I canโt listen to advice anymore.”
He leisurely refilled his cup with water and said calmly, “As for your concern, itโs unnecessary. After all, someoneโs been impersonating me and stirring up trouble. Letโs say todayโs events were orchestrated by that person. I, on the other hand, am enjoying my time wandering the mountains and rivers, paying no mind to worldly affairs. Even if Prince Jing and Qiโs navy end up at war, what does it have to do with me?”
The scout leader was so enraged he nearly staggered backward.
“You came to the inn with murderous intent. What fault does the lady innkeeper have for not wanting to die?”
Whether they were common folk or people of the martial world, they were not cattle to be slaughtered at will.
“In this world, when has there ever been the logic that you may kill others, but no one is allowed to kill you?” Meng Qi finished, handing the second cup of water to Mo Li.
As Mo Li reached for the cup, both men paused at the same time, their attention suddenly drawn to the door.
A strange noiseโdeep and distantโfilled the air.
It sounded like the sudden rise of a strong wind or perhaps the rumble of distant thunder.
Inside the inn, where the fight raged on, no one else seemed to hear it.
“Something’s wrong, this isโ”
Meng Qi reacted first. His pupils contracted, and he quickly grabbed Mo Li, pulling him away with great speed.
As they rushed out, Meng Qi flung the cup, hitting the innkeeperโs assistant square on the forehead.
The cup shattered upon impact, though it contained no inner force.
The assistant, dazed, looked in the direction the cup had come from, only to find that the two elderly men who had been sitting and drinking water moments earlier had vanished without a trace.
Mistress Tao, who was skilled in keeping her eyes on everything happening around her, was the only one in the inn who noticed Meng Qi’s movements. Though she didnโt understand exactly what was happening, she knew enough to realize that if this National Preceptor had survived into his eighties while nearly all his contemporaries were long deadโand even the Chu Dynasty had forgotten he was still aliveโhis ability to sense danger and escape was unmatched. Without wasting another moment, she made a quick decision.
“Xiao Hezi! Letโs go!”
With a sharp call, Mistress Taoโs assistant followed her without hesitation.
As Meng Qi glanced back and saw that Mistress Tao had understood his warning, he patted Mo Li on the right shoulder and then darted toward the innโs rear courtyard.
Mo Li, on the other hand, rushed out of the inn and immediately looked up toward the source of the strange sound. In the dark night sky, he could barely make out something flying towards them.
It had already reached the highest point, blocking out the moonโ
Mo Li’s expression changed drastically. He quickly turned to see the direction Meng Qi had taken and immediately thought of the pair of grandparents who had been hiding in the inn, afraid to show their faces.
This is bad!
When Mistress Tao came out, all she saw was dust flying in the air. Meng Qi and Mo Li were apparently demolishing a wall with their bare hands.
“…”
No, they werenโt exactly tearing down the wall with their handsโthey were charging straight through it, not even bothering to use their light-footed martial arts to leap over. They left human-shaped holes in the wall as they went through.
What was going on?
Why was Meng Qi also destroying her inn? Mistress Tao stood there, dumbfounded.
It was her assistant who noticed the unusual sight in the sky. His face instantly turned as white as paper, and he shoved Mistress Tao with all his strength.
“Run!”
The shout from her assistant was nearly heart-wrenching.
Right behind them, the scout leader and his men rushed out of the inn. With their opponents fleeing, what was the point in continuing the fight? Add to that the sound of Meng Qi and Mo Li demolishing the walls, and even the cowardly Huang Liu dared not stay inside any longer.
However, everyone’s pace varied. By the time Meng Qi and Mo Li crashed into the crumbling room and each carried out the terrified grandparents, some of the masked men hadnโt yet made it out of the inn.
The shadow above descended.
“Boom!”
With a deafening crash, the innโs main hall completely collapsed, dust and debris filling the air.
The child in Mo Liโs arms, who had been struggling and kicking, froze in shock at the destruction below, staring blankly at the wreckage beneath his feet.
Indeed, it was beneath his feet.
Mo Li had leaped up, using his light-footed martial arts to get as far from the innโs backyard as possible.
Mo Li didnโt have time to check on Meng Qi. As his right foot lightly tapped a flying tile, he used it to propel himself even faster toward the riverbank.
Although the first boulder had only struck the front of the inn and the backyard hadnโt been hit yet, it wasnโt safe to stay in place.
“Who the hell is using a trebuchet?” The scout leader, covered in dust, cursed loudly as two of his subordinates dragged him along. He glanced at the sky, where two more large shadows were now visible, and couldnโt help but curse again.
A trebuchet was a siege weapon. Even the sturdiest city walls would lose a layer of bricks after a single hit, so what chance did this crumbling inn have? And to be hit repeatedly?
The scout leader ranted angrily, his eyes bloodshot, as he looked at the ruined inn behind him.
Not all of his men had made it out.
The front of the inn was completely demolished, but as long as someone hadnโt been crushed directly by the stones, there was still a chance of survival.
The scout leader even spotted a few of his men staggering, desperately trying to push aside the pillars and rubble as they scrambled toward him.
“Boom!”
The second stone hit, sending up a cloud of dust that blocked everyone’s view.
The scout leader’s eyes turned red, but reason slowly returned to him.
โNo matter how powerful Qi’s navy was, a trebuchet couldnโt throw stones across the river. This kind of siege weapon was only possessed by armies. Neither privately raised death squads nor bandits would typically have access to such equipmentโit was too large and cumbersome, even with wheels for transportation.
“A trap! It’s all a trap!” The scout leader roared.
The inn had been a setup from the start! Huang Liu, the contact they had caught, and the naval defense map were all part of the trap, luring the scout regiment across the river to this broken-down inn. Just when they thought they were closing in on Huang Liuโs backers, the ambush was sprung, aiming to wipe them out completely.
The group fled for two miles in a frenzy, not stopping until they saw the shimmering waters of the river.
Throughout their escape, they could feel the ground tremble with each impact as the boulders crashed down behind them, seemingly pursuing them.
Fortunately, the stones couldnโt keep falling indefinitelyโtrebuchets were military assets, and the stones had to be transported by human or water power.
Mistress Tao panted heavily, feeling the trembling underfoot finally cease. Only then did she slowly turn her head.
The inn was no longer visible, but she didnโt need to see it to know what it had become.
Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, a tear sliding down from the corner of her eye.
Her assistant ran over, gasping for breath, completely at a loss for how to comfort her.
“If it werenโt for you getting in the way, my men wouldnโt be dead!” the scout leader, gripping his knife, glared angrily with the few remaining masked men at his side.
Mistress Taoโs demeanor shifted instantly, and she leapt up, mocking him. “What? Blaming me because I didnโt obediently let you kill me, wasting your time so you couldnโt silence everyone, reclaim the defense map, and leave?”
At that moment, a figure emerged from the shadows of the night.
“…Iโm the one who took the defense map. Iโm also the one who stopped you from setting the fire.”
The scout leader whirled around, locking eyes with Meng Qiโs cold gaze.
Mo Li stood beside Meng Qi, and behind them were the trembling elderly woman and child, barely able to stand.
“It was me who kept you in the inn and also saved your life.” Meng Qi spoke slowly and deliberately, his words cutting like a blade. “What do you think would have happened if you had started the fire?”
The scout leader was momentarily speechless.
The air was dry, and the wind from the river was strong. Once the fire spread, it would be uncontrollable, and at night, it would become a glaring beacon.
โIt would have only made the trebuchetโs aim even easier.
Realizing this, the scout leader clenched his teeth in disbelief and spat, “Nonsense! How could those Jingzhou bastards have known what I was planning?”
The dark night was heavy, with the moonโs light blurred by the swirling dust.
It was hard to make out Meng Qiโs expression, but the chilling tone of his voice sent a shiver down everyoneโs spine:
“Is that so…? Then maybe you should ask yourself what you were thinking when you gave the order.”
Silence fell, broken only by the rustling of the reeds in the wind.
Why had the scout leader ordered the fire? In a way, even he didnโt care much about the identity of the mastermind behind the theft. As he had said earlier, only the Jingzhou garrison would want the naval defense map. The map was important, yes, but it was useless to anyone else. The missionโs priority was to recover it, not to apprehend the masterminds.
Killing Huang Liu and burning the inn was the simplest, most brutal way to eliminate anyone who might have seen the defense map.
“โฆThe soldiers of Qi don’t want war. The generals donโt want war, and neither do you.” Meng Qiโs words landed heavily on everyoneโs hearts.
He coldly asked, “What could be simpler than setting a fire?”
Killing people wouldnโt guarantee the recovery of the map. For all they knew, Huang Liu might have made copies. Burning everything was the only foolproof method.
It wasnโt hard to guess that the scout leader would resort to arson. Perhaps the mastermind behind this was already wondering why the fire hadnโt started, growing impatient, fearing that the scouts would retreat if they lingered too long. In the end, theyโd resorted to using the trebuchet to end it.
“Did you know this from the start?” The scout leaderโs expression changed, now regarding Meng Qi as an accomplice of the mastermind.
“Idiot,” Mistress Tao muttered under her breath.
If Meng Qi had ill intentions, would he have stayed at the inn? No matter how skilled he was, would he dare face a trebuchet?
Random arrows had no eyes, and even less so did trebuchets.
Meng Qi had simply pieced together the situation quickly during the chaos.
The scout leader glared furiously, but Mistress Tao remained unafraid.
Meng Qi, disinterested in further argument, asked, “Where is your boat? If you want to live, you need to leave here immediately.”
The scouts hesitated, unsure. Mistress Tao couldnโt hold back her frustration and stomped her foot, shouting, “The stones are coming from behind us, from the direction of the Jingzhou military camp. We instinctively ran towards the river. You think the riverbank is safe? You think the people trying to crush us to death canโt guess where weโre heading? Why do you think those stones have been following us as we ran? Whoever’s behind this knows the terrain here like the back of their hand!”
Meng Qi was somewhat surprised, not expecting Mistress Tao to react so quickly.
Mo Li vaguely guessed what was happening, and Mistress Taoโs reminder immediately drew his attention to the thick reeds along the riverbank.
“Could it beโ”
Mo Li wasnโt worried about arrows or fire from behind since the river was close. However, Mistress Tao, her assistant, and the elderly woman and child didnโt deserve to die here.
“If we donโt board the boats now, itโll be too late.”
A trebuchet could hit targets up to seventy zhang away, with the larger stones falling at shorter distances. Arrows had an even shorter range.
However, the innโs location was fixed, so even in the dark, as long as the calculations were done early, the trebuchet could still be used. The riverbank, on the other hand, was broad, allowing movement both forward and backward. Without knowing where people had fled to, firing arrows prematurely would only alert them. Meng Qi estimated that within a quarter of an hour, archers would arrive.
The scout leader, forced to cooperate, led the group toward the hidden boats.
Moments earlier, they had been locked in a fierce battle; now, they were fleeing for their lives together.
Mo Li wanted to turn back and root out the attackers, but Meng Qi shook his head.
These Qi scouts were no saints, and without the advantage of the inn, Mistress Tao would likely only be able to protect herself and her assistantโthe elderly woman and child had no way to escape.
“H-Huang Liu is missing,” the assistant stammered to Mistress Tao.
Mistress Tao, who had wanted to break Huang Liuโs bones for bringing disaster upon them, swallowed her angry curses upon learning he might not have escaped the inn. She simply gave a sidelong glance and said, “Letโs go. Whether heโs dead or alive has nothing to do with us, right?”
The assistant closed his mouth.
Mo Li understood well that Huang Liu wasnโt the only one likely dead; the masked man Meng Qi had subdued and thrown into the woodshed before the chaos also might not have survived.
The suddenness of the situation left no time for rescues.
The scoutsโwho had since removed their masks, some having lost them during the escape and others discarding them out of breathโno longer cared about their identities. Everyone present already knew who they were, so being masked served no purpose.
“The boats are just ahead.”
A few of them jumped into the water and, following a rope, began to feel their way to the boats. Once they located them, they dived under the water to remove the stones weighing them down, allowing the boats to surface.
There were three boats in total, none particularly large, but they looked sturdy.
Meng Qi and Mo Li, along with their group, chose one boat. Mistress Tao and her assistant quickly followed, while the others boarded the remaining two boats.
“I can row,” the innโs assistant volunteered.
Mistress Tao glanced at the others on the boat, feeling uncertain. The elderly woman and child were clearly incapable of helping, and Meng Qi and his companion, being of advanced age, seemed unlikely candidates either. Gritting her teeth, Mistress Tao was about to take up the oars when Mo Li unexpectedly stopped her.
“No need.” Dr. Mo spoke calmly, “I can use my inner strength to propel the water.”
Just as Mistress Tao sighed in relief, a section of the nearby reeds suddenly caught fire.
“Theyโre here!”
Meng Qi turned to look, while the others trembled in fear, wishing the boat had wings to fly them out of the archersโ range.
Even now, the scout leader was in disbelief.
“How? How is this possible?” he muttered repeatedly under his breath.
For years, Qiโs navy and Jingzhouโs navy had maintained an uneasy peace, neither side wanting to engage in war. Even when the defense map was stolen, the scout leader had assumed that while someone in Jingzhou might be scheming, most of their soldiers werenโt on board with the plan. Stealing the map didnโt necessarily mean they were preparing for battle.
But setting up a trap for Qiโs elite scouts, complete with trebuchets, was far from a minor skirmish.
The three boats remained nestled within the reeds, still close to one another.
Meng Qi, unwilling to let the mastermind gloat, pointedly remarked, “You suspected a third party before, but now you stop believing it just because of a trebuchet?”
“But thatโs the direction of the Jingzhou garrison!” the scout leader exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief.
“Is it so hard to imagine someone persuading Prince Jing, using the Jingzhou navy to ignite the flames of war?” Meng Qi cast him a cold glance, tossing the defense map through the air to him. “This map could be nothing but bait, used to lure you into a trap. Jingzhou may have already obtained the defense map through other means.”
The scout leader hurriedly spread out the map, but in the dark, the harder he tried to examine it, the less he could see.
It wasnโt until the fire grew closer and distant voices could be heard from the shore.
“Theyโve escaped.”
“Thereโs a boat on the river! Fire arrows!”
The wind carried their faint, indistinct cries.
The elderly woman, already terrified throughout the night, fainted upon hearing the whistle of arrows.
The child, however, stared wide-eyed and unafraid. If Mistress Tao hadnโt been holding him down, he might have crawled out of the cabin.
To a child, the red glow outside was both exciting and strange. Earlier, he had been “flying” through the air, though his legs had gone weak from the experience. Now, his eyes were glued to Mo Li, watching him standing on the edge of the boat, calmly deflecting arrows with his sleeves. It was fascinating.
Meng Qi and Mo Li were able to protect their entire boat, but the other two boats werenโt as fortunate. Each time an arrow struck, it caused panic.
The arrowheads were wrapped with something flammable and ignited upon impact with the wood.
Fortunately, the scouts were well-versed in dealing with such surprises, knowing exactly how to extinguish the flames before disaster struck.
As the boats drifted further, the danger lessened.
Without needing to be told, the other two boats quickly crossed the river.
Only the assistant, gripping the oars, looked helplessly at Meng Qi.
“Follow the current downstream,” Meng Qi said slowly.
The fire had grown too large, engulfing the entire reed bed on the southern shore. Even from across the river, the flames were visible.
Mistress Tao cast a probing glance at the unconscious elderly woman and the child by her side.
Mo Li hesitated, and Mistress Tao quickly caught on, forcing a smile. “Forgive me, given all thatโs happened tonight, I canโt help but be suspicious of everyone.”
The assistant peeked over, puzzled. “What? Is something wrong with them?”
“No,” Mistress Tao quickly urged, “just row the boat and stop gawking.”
Mo Li didnโt expose her. In reality, Mistress Tao wasnโt suspicious that the grandmother and child were hidden enemies; rather, she suspected their identities were unusual. Why else would the National Preceptor of Chu go out of his way to protect them, prioritizing their safety?
Mistress Tao only pondered it for a short while before dismissing the thought, even feeling a bit ridiculous.
โPerhaps it was just a matter of saving lives, but in these times, even simple acts of kindness seemed out of place.
Mo Li took the initiative to ask, “Innkeeper, you seem familiar with the area. Is there any place nearby where we can land without being easily spotted by the Jingzhou garrison?”
“Hmm… About five or six miles east, thereโs a hidden river bend. The entrance to the river is blocked by iron chains, so normally boats canโt get through. But Xiao Hezi here is strong enough. If we all disembark, he can carry the boat across. We can slip into the river bend under cover of night and reach Wild Mountain by dawn. Most of the villages there are filled with refugees from the north.” Mistress Tao explained, testing the waters.
“Letโs go that way,” Meng Qi responded offhandedly.
Although the elderly woman mentioned she was looking for family, the situation in Jingzhou was clearly unstable. Finding a place where the grandmother and child could stay safely for the time being was the priority. Meng Qi had plenty of troubles of his own and couldnโt escort them the entire way. Perhaps, once separated from him, their luck would improve.
“Arenโt you afraid I might have ulterior motives? What if this is a trap?” Mistress Tao asked with a hint of mischief.
“Iโm not afraid of traps,” Meng Qi replied with a slight smile, “Iโm only wary of enemies who hide in the shadows.”
He gave a quick glance at both the assistant and Mistress Tao, his gaze as calm as ever.
The assistant couldnโt help but shiver, his massive frame startled by the eerie sensation. For the first time, even in the sweltering heat, he felt a chill. While he rowed, he kept frantically exchanging glances with Mistress Tao.
โBetter not provoke him, better leave sooner than later.
Mistress Taoโs expression flickered with hesitation as she asked, “From the National Preceptorโs words, it seems you have a guess about tonightโs mastermind?”
Meng Qi glanced at her but remained silent.
Gritting her teeth, Mistress Tao stepped out from the cabin, bowing her head low as she spoke, “That inn was indeed my familyโs ancestral propertyโฆ Losing it feels like my heart is being torn apart. All I want now is revenge, to personally kill my enemy.”
“If you seek revenge, why didnโt you stay ashore to see things through?” Meng Qi countered.
“Because I heeded the National Preceptorโs words. The ones firing arrows at the riverbank now are nothing but pawns. Killing them wouldnโt yield any real answers. Your reputation precedes you, and your wisdom is unmatched. I didnโt want to waste time chasing after small fry.”
Meng Qi chuckled. “Thatโs where youโre wrong. I am but an insignificant figure. Perhaps in a hundred years, when the new dynasty rewrites the history of Chu, the name โMeng Qiโ will be misspelled, misremembered, or forgotten entirely.”
Mistress Tao was left speechless.
In truth, she hadnโt heard of Meng Qi in the martial world. Her only clue was the scout leaderโs reaction and everything she had witnessed tonight. At this point, she had no choice but to lay everything on the table.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was kidnapped and sold to Yizhou. Back then, my familyโs three householdsโmore than ten people in allโlived by fishing and running the inn. Merchants and travelers came by every day, and even common folk crossing the river would stop to rest and have tea. By some stroke of luck, I learned a few tricks, which eventually allowed me to return to my hometown. But what I found was an empty, overgrown courtyard, now home to foxes and rats.”
The rushing river carried Mistress Taoโs voice, which drifted along like the flowing water.
“โฆIt turns out that when the border between Qi and Chu was drawn along the river, the fishermen in the riverside villages were forcibly driven away. With no means of livelihood, they either became tenant farmers or sold themselves into servitude. My parents and relatives were scattered, their whereabouts unknown. I searched for a long, long time but found nothing. Eventually, I returned to that desolate courtyard, where I found Xiao Heziโฆ”
The assistant scratched his head at hearing his name.
Mistress Tao gazed at him gently, speaking softly, “Xiao Hezi is my cousin. When I left home, he had just turned one and had two birthmarks on his back. When I found him, he was sitting dumbly in the ruins, claiming it was his home. Later, I learned that he had been sold to a family as a servant. They only bought him, no one else. He was mistreated for being slow and was sent to work on a farm, where he was further abused. At the age of fourteen, he finally ran away one night. He didnโt know the way, but he begged his way from Guanyang County in southern Jingzhou, wandering for a long time before finally returning home.”
Mistress Taoโs voice wavered between laughter and tears. “The houses in the riverside villages had all collapsed, but our ancestral property, built with solid materials, somehow withstood the wear of the years. It was the only large house left standing on the riverbank. Since Xiao Hezi could find his way back, I thought that maybe, just maybe, others might return too. If not my family, then at least others from the village. And if they came back, perhaps theyโd know where my parents and relatives had goneโฆ Xiao Hezi and I did our best to restore the inn, waiting for that dayโฆ”
Waiting for family who might no longer be alive.
Guarding a home from someone elseโs dreams.
But now, the inn was gone.
A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the river flowed beneath it.
The moon once shone upon old friends; the friends are gone, but tonight’s moon remains.
“โฆI do not know the identity of the mastermind,” Mistress Tao said, her voice low.
Meng Qi closed his eyes for a moment, then replied softly, “But that person will certainly make another move. If youโre patient, innkeeper, and watch the movements of the Jingzhou army and Qiโs navy, you may see their hidden hand.”
“National Preceptor?”
“Whether itโs Huang Liu or the scout leader, they all led themselves into a trap. Today, Qiโs scouts represent one side, Jingzhouโs navy is the second side, and Huang Liu and his backer are the third side. But I suspect there is a fourth playerโฆ Even if we landed now and caught someone, all weโd find would be the soldiers being used by the mastermind. We still donโt know how this person persuaded the Jingzhou military or Prince Jing, but since they intend to stir conflict between both sides, they wonโt stop here.”
“Thisโ”
Mistress Tao felt a rush of anxiety but forced herself to remain silent.
Meng Qi was merely passing through, and this matter had nothing to do with him initially. Mistress Tao admitted that she could only dare to ask for help because the mastermind had used Meng Qiโs name, thus making an enemy of him. Without that connection, she wouldnโt even have had the nerve to speak.
People of the martial world avoided getting involved in government affairs. Meng Qi likely didnโt want anything to do with Qi or the three remnants of Chu.
Mistress Taoโs thoughts grew more complicated, and she fell into silence.
Mo Li transmitted his voice to Meng Qi, “Not from Xiliang?”
“No, their styles are different. Ayanpuka spent decades carefully preparing, calculating his every move against an unsuspecting world. While ambitious, his long years in the shadows eroded his drive, making him overly cautious. This new player, however, operates openly, executing his plans swiftly with the confidence of a strategist. He wonโt stay hidden for longโonce he acts, he will demand results.”
Meng Qi’s eyes glimmered faintly in the firelight.
It had been a long, long time since he had faced such an opponent.
Ayanpuka had reawakened the tactical side of him that had been dormant for so long. Now, this unknown figure had stoked the fire even further.
“Doctor, the Three Princes of the Remnant Chu may have a master tactician among them,” Meng Qi mused, his tone shifting as he gazed at the blazing riverbank. “To hide in plain sight and yet retain some measure of authority, itโs most likely under the Three Princes. On the surface, he may serve them, but his ambitions may stretch beyond Jiangnan. Does he serve only himself, or is there a promising young ruler he has his eye on?”
What is the purpose of provoking a war between Prince Jing and Qiโs navy?
Meng Qi pondered, while Mo Li followed in deep thought, letting out a sigh.
“Doctor?”
“Nothing. Just realizing how many ambitious people there are in the world,” Mo Li frowned deeply. “Ayanpuka is lurking somewhere, and now thereโs another schemer pushing for war between Qi and Prince Jing.”
Meng Qi chuckled at this, saying, “Ambitious people have never been scarce throughout history. Whatโs rare are those with both the ambition and the strength to act on it. As for one storm after another… Doctor, you and I are not the heroes of a storybook. The people opposing us wonโt line up neatly, one by one, waiting for the first to fall before the next appears. Life isnโt as orderly as the tales of strange adventures people tell. The world is vast, and thereโs certainly no ‘only one hero and one villain.'”
Mo Li smirked and shot back, “You were the one who said chaotic times had swept away all the talented men, leaving only mediocrities and scoundrels.”
“Ahem.” Meng Qi rubbed his nose, avoiding further comment.
The river flowed rapidly, and with the push of Mo Liโs inner strength, the boat sped along. The five or six miles of riverbank passed in an instant.
Before disembarking, Mo Li asked Mistress Tao where the assistant had learned his iron-cloth martial arts.
Mistress Tao explained that she had brought back a few martial arts manuals from Shu. Her cousin had a straightforward mind, unable to grasp sword techniques, hidden weapons, or internal energy, but he had a natural talent for body-hardening techniques.
Mo Li shook his head and reached out to check the assistant’s pulse.
“Regardless of the martial art, anything done to excess will harm the body. Practicing too hard damages the meridians. Though your cousinโs skills have developed well, the hidden injuries to his meridians are not trivial. It may not show now, but by the time he reaches middle age, these injuries will flare up.”
As he spoke, Mo Li began to recite a prescription. He was about to ask Meng Qi for paper and ink when he noticed Mistress Tao quietly muttering to herself, reciting the herbs and quantities. He realized she had memorized most of it.
“You know medicine?” Mo Li asked.
“Not really,” Mistress Tao replied humbly. “Iโve studied some poisons for my hidden weapons, so I learned a bit about herbs. I canโt treat illnesses, but I can remember a prescription.”
Mo Li paused, then repeated the prescription to her again. After Mistress Tao recited it back correctly, he continued, “Simmer the medicine over low heat three times and take it for three months. I will return with Brother Qihang before the three months are up to re-evaluate and adjust the treatment.”
He didnโt mention where he was going or if they would pursue the events of the night. But Mistress Tao felt reassured, as if she had taken a stabilizing tonic.
โAs long as theyโre coming back.
Losing the inn was a painful blow, but her only remaining relative couldnโt afford to be harmed.
Mistress Tao also sensed from Mo Li’s tone that these two were not just casually crossing the river for leisureโthey might be entangled in the chaos brewing in Jingzhou.
With a casual step, Meng Qi floated ashore without a sound.
“Take care of the grandmother and child,” he said. “Bring them to the village and help them settle down.”
Mistress Tao bowed her head in agreement, sensing that this was their farewell. She quickly added, “Thank you, National Preceptor, and… thankโ”
She suddenly faltered, unsure how to address Mo Li. Calling him “Doctor” seemed too informal, while “Old Master” without a surname felt disrespectful.
While she hesitated, the assistant gave her a playful shove with his large hand.
“Theyโre gone.”
Mistress Tao looked up sharply, only to see the two figures fading into the distance, swallowed by the dense darkness of the night, leaving no trace behind.
Author’s Note:
Since thereโs been a two-week pause, hereโs a brief recap of the plot:
โโโโ
Meng Qi and Mo Li encountered Ayanpuka, the leader of Xiliangโs forces, and then crossed the river, heading for Feihe Mountain.
While staying at an inn overnight, they ran into masked men who planned to set the inn on fire. These men turned out to be scouts from Qiโs navy, attempting to recover the stolen defense map that a merchant, Huang Liu, had carried across the river. They intended to kill anyone who had seen the map. The innkeeper and her assistant were not ordinary people, and a fight ensued. Huang Liu claimed that the person who ordered the theft was a former National Preceptor.
When Huang Liuโs lie was exposed because he didnโt recognize Meng Qi, he changed his story, claiming he was just paid to do the job and didnโt know the true mastermind, only that they were skilled in martial arts.
The group decided to wait at the inn for the mastermind to show up, but the innkeeper wasnโt pleased with the situation. Meanwhile, the scout leader realized they were no match for Meng Qi and Mo Li and sought a peaceful resolution.