Chen Ji listened as Xiaoman’s hurried footsteps grew fainter and fainter, until they vanished at the end of the corridor.

Sometimes, he couldn’t quite understand this maid. She was sometimes foolish, sometimes shrewd, with wavering morals.

Was she a bad person? Yet she had never done anything to wrong Chen Ji, repeatedly picking up Buddhist coins only to put them back down.

Was she a good person? Yet she wanted to kill people and sell information…

It was as if some pieces were inexplicably missing when she was taught morals. Or perhaps, the one who taught her was like this, and Xiaoman was merely imitating.

Now, what Chen Ji found most perplexing was why she, already an official, willingly remained a maid in the Chen residence.

Just then, the room’s curtain was pulled open, and Zhang Xia, fully dressed, walked out. He smiled and asked, “The Princess said your greed and anger are gone, leaving only foolishness. It’s true, you gave away over a thousand taels of silver just like that.”

Chen Ji, standing by the window, paused slightly. No one had mentioned that phrase in a long time.

As he pondered, a knock suddenly came at the door.

Chen Ji gave Zhang Xia a look, then, gripping his Whale Blade, he walked to the door alone and pulled it open a crack.

The Shopkeeper, clad in a black cloth shirt, stood outside, bowing with a smile. “Good morning, honored guest. When will you be holding your session? I’ve instructed my staff to reserve a table for you and prepare some snacks and candied fruits.”

Chen Ji calmly leaned the Whale Blade aside, then fully opened the door, replying with a smile, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Shopkeeper. We’ll be down shortly.”

The Shopkeeper changed the subject. “Honored guest, have you decided where you’ll go after your session? Fengsheng Prefecture, in the Xijing Region of the Jing Dynasty, is a good destination.”

Chen Ji recalled the wails and bloody smell from the secret passage and immediately replied, “I haven’t decided where to go yet. I might stay a few more days, just in case there are still business opportunities in Gu Yuan City.”

The Shopkeeper said earnestly, “Honored guest, as a stranger, you may not know, but Gu Yuan City is very chaotic, especially whenever our Dragon Gate Inn holds a session. That’s when all sorts of devils run rampant. The powerful figures coveting the immense wealth in your hands will be as numerous as fish in a river.”

Chen Ji retorted, “Are you saying they would dare to force their way into the Dragon Gate Inn?”

The Shopkeeper narrowed his eyes slightly. “They certainly wouldn’t dare to force their way into the Dragon Gate Inn… But never mind. Since you plan to stay a few more days, I won’t press you further, lest you think I have ulterior motives.”

Chen Ji politely responded, “Of course not. I appreciate your good intentions.”

The Shopkeeper cupped his hands. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

“Walk slowly, Shopkeeper.” Chen Ji slowly closed the door. The moment the wooden door fully shut, the eyes of the two men, each with their own thoughts, turned cold.

The Shopkeeper stood by the door, pondering for a moment, then turned and went downstairs, waving to Xiao Wu, who was sweeping.

Xiao Wu limped over, holding his broom. “What is it, Shopkeeper?”

The Shopkeeper instructed, “Spread the word that someone is holding a session. Gather all the powerful figures from the streets so this honored guest can truly understand what kind of place Gu Yuan is.”

Xiao Wu asked, puzzled, “Didn’t you say some of them have Lantern Coins? Are we still going to play black-on-black? And they’re Master San’s targets; shouldn’t we avoid touching them?”

The Shopkeeper calmly said, “Of course, we can’t touch them. But if others do the work, and we pick up the ready-made spoils, that’s not breaking the rules, is it?”

Xiao Wu muttered softly, “If the Supervisor finds out, he’ll surely dislike you even more.”

The Shopkeeper gave him a cold look. “Do you think I’m doing this for myself? How much of the money the inn has made over the years has been spent on me? So many people are waiting to eat and be clothed. If we don’t make money, what will they eat and drink?”

Xiao Wu shrank his neck. “Alright, alright, I’m going now!”

The Shopkeeper returned to the inn’s main hall.

In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the inn’s cotton curtain was pulled open, and six burly men with full beards filed in, finding a corner table to sit down. Short daggers were tucked into their belts, their handles inlaid with glistening, oily blue sapphires.

The cotton curtain was lifted again, and a fragrant breeze wafted in. The still-charming proprietress of the Red Sleeve Brothel next door, waving a silk handkerchief, swayed through the tables, greeting people with coy smiles.

As she passed, one man reached out, intending to forcefully pull her into his embrace. The proprietress merely chuckled softly, then lightly spun away, dodging him like a flying flower or butterfly.

The instant their bodies lightly brushed, a long gash appeared on the man’s wrist, cut by a hidden blade at the proprietress’s fingertip, and blood gushed out. The man suffered a great loss but dared not make a sound, only covering his wrist and fleeing out the door.

Someone sitting at a table burst into laughter. “You blind fool! How dare you try to take advantage of the Black Widow of Red Sleeve Brothel!”

All sorts of local despots from Gu Yuan swarmed in. In another incense stick’s time, the inn’s main hall was completely packed, with only two tables remaining empty.

The previously quiet inn hall was now as hot as a furnace, with the greasy smell of fur coats, body odor, and spices mixed together.

Just then, the door curtain was lifted again, and a man with a blind left eye walked in indifferently. He wore a lambskin coat with a leopard-skin sleeve attached.

In an instant, everyone in the hall stood up. Someone exclaimed in surprise, “Master San!”

“When did Master San return to Gu Yuan?”

“Is Master San doing well these days?”

Master San did not reply. He scanned the crowd with his remaining good eye, then walked past the Eight Immortals tables as if no one else was there, approaching the counter. He calmly asked, “Is someone holding a session today?”

Seeing that Master San had no interest in acknowledging them, the guests weren’t offended and instead sat down, whispering among themselves.

Seeing the Shopkeeper didn’t respond, Master San emphasized, “I’m talking to you!”

The Shopkeeper didn’t even lift an eyelid. “You haven’t been seen for two days straight. How did a small matter like holding a session manage to disturb even an old man like you?”

Master San sneered, “Who is holding the session?”

The Shopkeeper casually replied, “The one you’ve been watching.”

Master San’s expression changed. “It’s him?”

The Shopkeeper stared intently at Master San. “Why that reaction? Who exactly is he?”

Master San glanced at the Shopkeeper. “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t ask.”

The Shopkeeper sneered, “You don’t trust me?”

Master San scoffed, “Why should I trust you? Second Brother, peel off your fake face and look in the mirror. See the character ‘Jiang’ tattooed on your face, then tell me if I should trust you.”

The Shopkeeper lowered his voice, angrily gritting his teeth. “How many times do I have to tell you? The General sent me back then. If not for me, Gu Yuan would have fallen that year! Even the Supervisor trusts me, so why don’t you?”

Master San gave him a deep look, then turned and walked to the empty table in the middle of the hall and sat down.

The proprietress of the Red Sleeve Brothel waved her silk handkerchief, asking the Shopkeeper, “Shopkeeper, didn’t you say someone was holding a session? Everyone has put aside their matters and come, so why is there no activity yet?”

The Shopkeeper was silent for a moment, then turned to the waiter beside him and instructed, “Go upstairs and urge the guest.”

In the room on the third floor, Chen Ji waited from morning until noon, but Xiaoman never returned.

The waiter came upstairs and urged him three times in a row. The guests downstairs were growing restless from waiting, but Chen Ji had no intention of going down.

When the waiter came to urge him a fourth time, he found an excuse to send the waiter away and then closed the door.

Zhang Xia asked, puzzled, “What exactly did Xiaoman go to do? Why isn’t she back yet?”

Chen Ji smiled. “Perhaps she really ran off?”

However, no sooner had he spoken than Zhang Zheng, who was beside him, suddenly said, “She won’t run away.”

“Oh?” Chen Ji looked at Zhang Zheng. “You two argue the most fiercely, so why are you defending her now?”

Zhang Zheng let out a sigh. “I argue with her to pass the time, but I know she doesn’t have a bad heart. Even though she always snaps at me, when we encountered thieves on the road, she quietly helped me stop them. Last night, when she was rummaging through Chen Ji’s clothes, I was awake. I saw her take out the Buddhist coins and put them back. If she really wanted to run, she would have done it last night, not waited until now.”

Chen Ji scrutinized Zhang Zheng. “So, will you still argue with her in the future?”

Zhang Zheng chuckled gleefully. “Argue? Why not? I’m idle anyway…”

Before he could finish, the room door suddenly swung open. Xiaoman stood panting at the doorway, glared fiercely at Zhang Zheng, then said to Chen Ji, “Young Master, I’m back.”

Chen Ji asked with a smile, “What did you go do? Why are you panting like this?”

“Wasn’t I hurrying back?” Xiaoman took a land deed from her sleeve and handed it to Chen Ji.

Chen Ji unfolded it, asking in surprise, “You bought a shop?”

Xiaoman explained, “Seeing that the Jing Dynasty was about to besiege the city, I preemptively bought a grain and oil shop, along with two thousand one hundred *shi* of grain inside. When the Jing army arrives, grain prices will triple immediately! What do you think, is this a good deal or not?”

Chen Ji didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “At a time like this, even if you earn money, you need to be alive to spend it.”

Xiaoman paused, then said, “There’s a cellar hidden in the well in the backyard of this grain and oil shop. Even if we don’t sell the grain, there’s enough to keep us hidden in the cellar for a very, very long time.”

Chen Ji was slightly startled. “How did you know that?”

Xiaoman lowered her head and whispered, “You don’t need to worry about that. In short, if the Jing Dynasty really besieges Gu Yuan, that place will be your escape route, Young Master.”

Just then, another knock came at the door. The waiter called from outside, “Honored guest, the Shopkeeper asked me to inquire again: when will you be coming down?”

Chen Ji tucked the land deed into his sleeve and replied loudly, “Coming.”

On Guizi Street, Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo, leading four Imperial Guards in plain clothes and wearing bamboo hats, quietly surveyed their surroundings.

As they passed, silk handkerchiefs fluttered down from the upper floors like snow, and the sweet chatter of women filled the air.

Qi Zhenzhuo whispered, “Brother-in-law, why did you bring me to a brothel? Aren’t you afraid I’ll go back and tell my sister?”

Li Xuan glared fiercely at him. “What are you thinking? It’s said that the Dragon Gate Inn on Guizi Street is a gathering place for brokers, where information frequently changes hands. I brought you here to buy information, not to visit a brothel!”

Qi Zhenzhuo sighed in relief. “Oh, so that’s it.”

Li Xuan let the silk handkerchiefs fall around him but kept his gaze straight ahead. “You and I serve His Highness, yet we were upstaged by the Chen family’s illegitimate son earlier. If we don’t do something soon, His Highness might consider us useless.”

Qi Zhenzhuo’s interest was piqued. “That’s right! If Chen Ji can get information in Gu Yuan City, we certainly can too… We can’t be much worse than him.”

Just then, several passersby hurried past, muttering, “Hurry up, we might not make it.”

Qi Zhenzhuo grabbed one of them and asked, “Brother, where are you all going?”

The man he grabbed shook him off. “Someone’s holding a session at the Dragon Gate Inn, so naturally, we’re going there.”

Qi Zhenzhuo was confused. “What does ‘holding a session’ mean?”

The man scoffed. “You country bumpkin from out of town. Holding a session means someone is going to sell incredibly important news, news that concerns the safety of an entire city.”

Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo exchanged glances, a flicker of joy in both their eyes.

Qi Zhenzhuo whispered, “Brother-in-law, what a great opportunity! We just arrived and caught it!”

Li Xuan pulled down the brim of his bamboo hat and quickened his pace. “Hurry, get the information and report back to His Highness as soon as possible.”

The group hurried with the passersby to the front of the Dragon Gate Inn, then ducked under the cotton curtain and entered.

Inside the inn, it was bustling with noise, extremely lively.

Qi Zhenzhuo looked around excitedly upon entering. “Brother-in-law, we really came to the right place this time. His Highness kept talking about Chen Ji last night, praising him for being exceptionally sharp, brave, and resourceful. This time, it’s our turn to make a name for ourselves.”

As he spoke, the inn suddenly grew quiet.

Thudding footsteps echoed, and someone started descending the stairs.

Xiao Wu ran down the stairs first, bowing apologetically to the guests in the main hall with an awkward smile. “Thank you all for waiting so long. The one holding the session has finally been invited down by this humble servant!”

Qi Zhenzhuo looked up at the stairs, his expression suddenly frozen, and he muttered, “You goddamn…”