For a long time, neither of them spoke. It was Tang Zhou who finally broke the oppressive silence: "Let's take a look around the farm. I wonder if Master Shen's body is there?"
Yan Dan replied weakly: "Tang Zhou, ever since I started walking with you, I've been unlucky all the time."
Tang Zhou stood stunned by this accusation. Yan Dan stumbled through the rubble and ran toward the backyard. "When you find Master Shen's body, you can also help me collect mine."
As soon as she finished speaking, a chaotic sound of footsteps erupted not far away, and someone shouted: "Everyone, be careful. The arsonist may still be inside."
When Yan Dan heard the voices drawing dangerously close, she quickened her pace, intending to reach the backyard first and then escape. The way they'd entered was definitely not an option. Back then, she had possessed magic powers, so naturally she wasn't afraid of a few mortals, but now she was no different from an ordinary woman and could only run.
Before she could even reach the backyard, she heard someone shout from behind, "There's someone inside! Running to the back!"
Yan Dan glanced back and saw the townspeople chasing after her with hoes and shovels brandished like weapons. A bitter taste began to well up in her mouth. Suddenly, she felt her wrist tighten. Tang Zhou grabbed her and whispered urgently, "Right."
Yan Dan looked to her right and saw a wall with half of it burned away. Before she could voice any objection, she felt her body lighten. Tang Zhou had lifted her up and she instinctively reached out to grab the wall and pushed off with her feet. She heard the townspeople's shouts getting closer. She didn't know where she found the strength, but she suddenly climbed up and jumped down without a second thought. Although the top of the wall was blackened by smoke and had a crack running through it, it still stood nearly three people tall. Yan Dan landed hard on the ground and fell without paying attention. She didn't even bother to check if her ankle was sprained. She immediately scrambled up and ran.
Seeing her bravery, Tang Zhou swallowed the words, "I'll carry you on my back."
Yan Dan ran until she was breathless, but her strong will to survive made her not stop for even a moment until she had run completely out of the boundary of Qingshi Town.
She looked at the stone tablet with the word "Xiangdu" engraved in front of her, and knew that the next hundred miles would be the territory of Xiangdu. Her legs softened and she collapsed on the ground. She had just run too fast, and when she stopped, she hugged her knees and coughed violently, then gasped for breath.
Tang Zhou said with genuine sincerity: "You are quite amazing."
After a long time, Yan Dan's breathing finally calmed down, and she turned her head to look at him, saying grimly: "I twisted my foot..."
Tang Zhou fell silent.
"I sprained it when I jumped off the wall..."
"Hehe, you are really amazing. You can run for half an hour without stopping."
Yan Dan gritted her teeth in fury: "Your ankle is swollen, you bastard!"
Tang Zhou walked to her side and slowly bent down: "Let me see."
Yan Dan slapped his hand away and said angrily: "Don't touch me, it's all your fault! I told you to leave early but you refused to leave. You also asked me to jump over the wall, causing me to sprain my ankle!"
Tang Zhou sighed and didn't argue with her: "If you don't let me see, what if you hurt your bones?"
Yan Dan thought about it and realized he was right. The most unnecessary thing was to make things difficult for oneself. Tang Zhou stretched out his hand and gently pressed on her ankle: "It is swollen, but the bones are fine. When we get to the next town, we will go see a doctor." He turned sideways: "Come, I'll carry you."
Yan Dan suddenly thought that this was a good opportunity to escape, and immediately clung to Tang Zhou's shoulders.
She leaned on Tang Zhou's shoulder, and only then did she realize the benefits of his steady and light steps—she barely felt any bumps. She pondered for a moment, then spoke softly, "Tang Zhou?"
Tang Zhou hummed in acknowledgment.
"Actually, you don't have to work so hard to carry me. It's just a sprain, I can handle it myself." Yan Dan said slowly, "As long as I have a little bit of magic..."
After a while, Tang Zhou asked, "Why do you have to be a demon?"
"Ah? This..." Yan Dan thought for a while, "If I don't become a demon, and I am neither a mortal nor an immortal, wouldn't I be wandering outside the Three Realms? Wouldn't it be lonely without your own kind between heaven and earth?"
"Now that I have sealed your magic, you will be no different from mortals from now on. Isn't that good?"
Yan Dan realized that she was being led by him, and said decisively: "If I turn you into a demon, would you feel good?"
Tang Zhou actually avoided answering, and instead said something completely irrelevant: "The luggage was left at the inn, and I only have a few silver bills on me, and I'm afraid the silver bills can't be used in small towns."
Yan Dan didn't even think about it: "This is simple. If you see merchants on the road, just rob them."
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the sound of carriage wheels turning in the distance, and soon it was directly behind them.
As the carriage passed by, it slowly came to a stop. The four horses pulling it were all of the same superior caliber. Even the dark-skinned man driving it was clothed in the finest fabric, as if he bore an invisible inscription: "I'm rich, come and rob me." Unfortunately, Yan Dan's condition meant she was in no position to rob anyone, and if Tang Zhou didn't take action, she wouldn't have the courage to force him. The carriage curtain lifted, revealing a pair of calm, indifferent eyes.
A beautiful woman leaped gracefully from the carriage, her voice gentle, "Master Tang, my master invites you two to come aboard for a reunion."
Yan Dan expected Tang Zhou to decline politely, but he readily agreed, "Thank you so much." As the beautiful woman reached out to help her, she felt even more melancholy: such strength, evidently a martial artist—she couldn't even match that of an ordinary woman now.
The carriage's owner sat inside, clutching a celadon teacup, his fingers long and powerful. He nodded slightly to Tang Zhou, then turned his eyes away and stared at the opposite side.
Yan Dan followed the man's gaze and looked at the other side of the carriage where an embroidered carpet was hanging. She studied the embroidered carpet for a long time. Apart from noting that the embroidery thread and velvet on it were of exceptional quality and it was a unique embroidery method of Yizhou, she didn't feel that there was anything particularly special about it. She turned her head and looked at the man, who was still staring at the embroidered carpet, wondering what he was thinking.
Tang Zhou said softly: "This brother Liu has a good relationship with my master, and often comes to play chess with him."
Yan Dan immediately lowered her voice: "Is that Mr. Liu's chess skills very bad? He loses every time, but he feels very unwilling to accept it, so he often comes to play chess with your master?"
Tang Zhou was silent.
The woman who had helped Yan Dan into the carriage smiled slightly and said, "What you said is generally correct, but there's one thing you got wrong. The one who's terrible at chess, who always loses, yet feels so unwilling to accept it, is actually Young Master Tang's teacher."
Yan Dan was in awe. In her opinion, those who were good at chess were often rare and intelligent people in the world, strategizing and planning ahead. She looked at Young Master Liu with a completely different mindset than before, but he didn't move, still staring fixedly at the embroidered carpet across from her.
Yan Dan had no choice but to examine the tapestry more carefully. Aside from discovering a mis-stitch in a corner, she couldn't see anything special about it, and was suddenly confused.
Young Master Liu's name was Wei Yang, also known as Situi. He was from Liuzhou and loved to travel. He had traveled to Youzhou at the beginning of the year and had just returned home, visiting Tang Zhou's teacher on the way.
All this information was provided by his personal maid Xu'er.
Meanwhile, Liu Weiyang sat half-leaning on a cushion, holding a teacup. He lifted the lid, flicking his sleeve to gently blow away the floating tea leaves. He took a slow, graceful sip, appearing even more enigmatic. Yan Dan knew that even if a fool were given a cup and taught to observe the color and flavor of tea, no one would be able to tell he was stupid.
Xu'er whispered, "Sir, we're approaching Anping Town. Do you want to get off the carriage for a meal, or have the food brought to you?"
Liu Weiyang raised his eyes and nodded slightly.
The carriage lurched, and Yan Dan, unable to steady herself, slammed against the wall with a thud.
Xu'er lowered her head and said gently, "Xu'er understands."
Yan Dan couldn't help but ask, "What do you understand?"
Xu'er smiled faintly. "My master said he wanted to get off the carriage for a meal."
"How did you know?"
Xu'er looked bewildered, as if puzzled by her question. "Because my master nodded."
Yan Dan gave up completely and retreated into a corner. Tang Zhou glanced at her, remaining silent. About half an hour later, the carriage slowly stopped. Xu'er lifted the curtain and peeked out. "We've arrived at Anping Town."
Yan Dan carefully dismounted and took two steps on solid ground. She realized her swollen ankle had almost healed. Speaking of this, she really had Liu Weiyang to thank. When Tang Zhou mentioned going to town to see a bonesetter, Mr. Liu reached out and grabbed her ankle without a word. Yan Dan swore to heaven that she heard a crisp, melodious "crack" from her muscles at that moment. She spent a full half-cup of tea lost in excruciating pain, unable to even scream.
Yan Dan never dared to look him in the eye again. This man was definitely more cruel than Tang Zhou.
The four of them walked into the town's restaurant. Xu'er followed Liu Weiyang the entire time, and even after they sat down at the table, Xu'er still stood behind him. Yan Dan suspected that Mr. Liu must be someone very special. Liu Weiyang, Liuzhou Weiyang—wouldn't parents be so lazy as to combine two place names and call it their child's name?
Liu Weiyang looked at Tang Zhou and whispered, "Brother Tang, please order the dishes."
Tang Zhou shook his head and declined, "Brother Liu, please. I've been bothering you for so long. I'll treat you to dinner."
Liu Weiyang nodded slightly and named a few dishes in a low, pleasant voice. It was the first time Yan Dan heard him say so many words in one breath, and she felt inexplicably touched.
But the meal was truly boring, taking the idea of not talking while eating and not talking while sleeping to its extreme. The dishes Liu Weiyang ordered were good, and the chef's cooking was excellent, but the diners were simply too boring. In the Qianlan Mountains, this kind of thing would never happen. Gradually, she had developed the habit of feeling uncomfortable if she didn't talk a hundred words a day.
Afterwards, they missed finding lodging and had to spend the night by the fields. Yan Dan was in agony the whole day. Apart from Xu'er who would answer her a few times, she didn't want to talk to Tang Zhou. Liu Weiyang, she estimated, had said no more than fifty words in the whole year, and the dark-skinned coachman was as timid as a mouse.
Yan Dan was so tired that she had to go for a walk far away.
The evening breeze blew across the paddy fields, bringing with it the scent of soil. The silvery moon hung by the edge of the fields, peaceful and quiet. It was still spring, but if it were summer, there would probably be the sound of insects, which would be even more unique.
Yan Dan walked a few steps along the path in the field, and suddenly saw a gray figure rushing out. She couldn't help but step back a few steps. The man met her face to face, and they were both stunned. Yan Dan felt the man looked strangely familiar, and immediately remembered: "You—"
The man clutched his face, screaming as he fled, "It wasn't me, it wasn't me..."
With a rustle of wind, Tang Zhou's sleeves fluttered, his lapels swirling as he passed over the man's head. With a flick of his scabbard, he knocked him to the ground. "Tell me, were you the one who started the fire at the Shen residence?"
The man immediately protested, "Why would I burn down my own house?"
It was none other than Master Shen.
Yan Dan stepped forward, smiling faintly. "Since you didn't set the farm on fire, you must have killed Miss Shen."
Master Shen smiled wryly, "Don't be ridiculous, young lady. Why would I harm my own flesh and blood?"
Yan Dan yanked Tang Zhou's sword free, realizing it was incredibly heavy. She stumbled, nearly striking Master Shen in the face. Tang Zhou supported her from behind, and the sword deflected, striking Master Shen squarely in the face. Master Shen was so frightened that he was sweating profusely. He spoke gently, "Miss Yan, be careful, be very careful, don't let your hands shake. This sword is too heavy, it's safer to let Master Tang hold it."
Yan Dan pouted slightly, "You're talking nonsense. Miss Shen is not your biological daughter."
Master Shen replied bluntly, "Yes, Yijun is not my biological daughter, but I have always treated her as my own. Even though she sometimes acts crazy and stupid, I still treat her the same way. How could I possibly kill her?"
Tang Zhou took the long sword from Yan Dan's hand and said slowly, "So, you should know that the murderer is someone else?"
Master Shen immediately shut up, his face pale. "There is no murderer... It's dry weather, and a fire is not a strange thing. Why did you..." He looked terrified and kept silent no matter what Tang Zhou asked.
Tang Zhou sighed and sheathed the sword. Suddenly, Yan Dan's voice was filled with laughter. She spoke softly, "Are you really not going to tell the truth? That's fine, but you mustn't confess later." She had been holding it in all day, with no one to talk to. Since someone had come to her door, she naturally couldn't let them go easily.
Master Shen simply closed his eyes, determined to ignore them.
Yan Dan squatted beside him and said leisurely: "There is a lord in this dynasty who is very proficient in criminal law. He is the Minister of Justice. No one has ever dared not to confess under him. The surname of this minister is Chi, also known as Chi Jun. Have you heard of him?" She tapped the other's eyelids: "Lord Chi said, digging out the eyeballs is nothing. It is a real skill to cut the eyelids clean but still keep the eyeballs." Her cold fingers slid from the eyelids to the nose: "What's the big deal about cutting the nose? It has to be cut just right so that you can still breathe as before. The tongue is useless if you keep it, and you won't scream too miserably if you take it out."
Yan Dan smiled: "Do you know what skinning alive is? I heard that putting a person on the fire and roasting them until they are three-quarters cooked, then the skin and flesh will loosen. As long as the knife separates a little, once it's peeled off..."
Master Shen opened his eyes and trembled, "I'll tell you everything!"
Yan Dan shook her finger gently, "No, no, you better not say it. Senior Brother, go light a fire, and let's try to see if the skinning alive punishment is the same as what Master Chi said. Then, slowly, bit by bit, we'll cut it."
Master Shen cried out in a trembling voice, "Shen Yijun and I are both... his subordinates. We all follow his orders. Young Master Tang's soul is pure. If we can obtain it, we won't be controlled by others. We both want it... and then... that person discovered we had ulterior motives, so, so..."
Tang Zhou whispered, "Who is that person you're talking about?"
Master Shen's eyelids twitched, and he made a few guttural sounds, but couldn't speak.
Yan Dan sighed, "Guess we should start a fire first and talk while we roast it. I heard that after the human skin is peeled off, the texture inside is still intact, and the meridians and blood vessels can be clearly seen. You must be eager to see it, right?"
Suddenly, there were a few coughs, and an old farmer with a hunched back came over from the edge of the field, holding a pipe in his mouth and walking slowly with his hands behind his back. Tang Zhou dragged Master Shen into the bushes by the roadside and pulled Yan Dan back to the grass five steps away.
Yan Dan sighed: "I was treated as a murderer the day before yesterday, and this time I'm treated as a thief again."
Tang Zhou lowered his voice and said: "You are very familiar with those criminal laws."
Yan Dan smiled lightly: "I have been friends with Lord Chi for a long time. Those ghosts with broken hands and feet in the underworld have always been thinking about his benefits. I've been listening to him for several days and my ears are about to get calluses. From ancient times to the present, when it comes to cruel officials, he should be considered the number one."
Tang Zhou didn't know whether she was talking nonsense or telling the truth. As she spoke, the old farmer walked over slowly, smoking his pipe, and the red sparks on the pipe could be seen in the night. Suddenly, a faint flash of light passed by, almost indistinct. Tang Zhou immediately stepped forward and parted the bushes. "Oh no!"
In the clear moonlight, Yan Dan could clearly see a fatal wound between Mr. Shen's eyebrows, the blood still wet. The two of them followed the path the old farmer had taken. At the end of the path lay a few coarse cloths and a pipe.
The old farmer had vanished.
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