The sunsets in Guyuan are grander than Luocheng’s. A crimson sun in the distance dyed the loess, the city, and the clouds a fiery orange-red, as if the horizon itself were ablaze, like a potent spirit burning down the throat. But when the sun sank behind the city, the temperature dropped sharply.

Chen Ji stood quietly by the window, looking through the gap at the street below. He slowly closed the window only after the last sliver of light vanished from his face.

Chen Liqin had been summoned by the Crown Prince three hours ago and had not yet returned. Chen Ji looked at Zhang Xia, who was by another window. “How is it?” he asked.

Zhang Xia frowned. “In just half a day, thousands of people have passed through the gates of Guyuan Post Station. Of those, thirty-four deliberately came by multiple times, and seventeen lingered at the gate for longer than the time it takes an incense stick to burn. They included old people, children, men, and women. Also, nine people entered or exited the post station.”

Chen Ji looked at her, surprised. “Can Miss Zhang truly remember all that so clearly?”

Zhang Zheng chuckled. “Surprised, aren’t you? When she plays chess with Father, they don’t even need a board; they just close their eyes and call out their moves. Don’t provoke her. People with good memories remember kindness, but they also remember grudges. I provoked her once when I was six, and she still remembers it to this day. But if you help her, she’ll remember that too, for a very, very long time.”

Zhang Xia glared at him. “Brother, you talk too much.”

Chen Ji then spoke earnestly, “While we are in Guyuan, make sure to close your doors and windows securely at night. If you encounter any danger, you must immediately call for help loudly.”

Zhang Xia lowered her head in thought. “So many people are watching the Chen family; they must not be from the same group. It’s strange, how many factions are actually keeping an eye on us?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “I don’t know. Just be careful.”

Zhang Zheng hunched in his chair, lamenting, “Guyuan’s weather is truly strange. During the day, it’s so hot you sweat, almost as if it could peel your skin off. Yet, as soon as the sun sets, it becomes bone-chillingly cold.”

Xiao Man whispered, “Some say Guyuan is a cursed place, where the vengeful spirits of soldiers from two dynasties who died in battle still roam. They say there are no flowers in spring, no rain in summer, no fruit in autumn, and no survivors in winter, destined for year-round conflict.”

Chen Ji looked at her. “Did your aunt say that?”

Xiao Man hummed in affirmation. “I heard my aunt talking about it with Nanny Li when I was little.”

Chen Ji smiled. “That’s not how it is. Guyuan’s large diurnal temperature variation is due to its arid climate. Without cloud cover, the ground can’t retain the heat from the day. Of course, that’s just one reason.”

Xiao Man huffed, “Where did you hear such nonsense, Young Master? How can light, wispy clouds possibly hold onto the earth’s heat? That makes no sense at all. I still believe what my aunt said.”

Chen Ji could only laugh.

*Knock, knock, knock* A knock sounded at the door.

Chen Ji was about to get up and open it, but Xiao Man stopped him. “I’ll go! I’ll go!”

The door opened, and a junior official, dressed in a short tunic, entered carrying a brazier with two tongs. He politely said, “Sirs, it gets cold here in Guyuan at night, so I’ve brought you a brazier of charcoal.”

Zhang Zheng exclaimed, “What perfect timing!” He extended his hands, palms facing the brazier, warming them. Waves of heat washed over him, making his cheeks flush.

Chen Ji pointed at Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia and asked the official, “My two friends are staying in rooms *Tianzi Xu* and *Gui*. Could you also provide them with a brazier?”

The official hesitated, then looked troubled. “My apologies, sir. Our post station is rarely occupied year-round. We don’t even have enough firewood for cooking, let alone charcoal for heating. This charcoal was allocated by General Zhou himself from the Capital Command Office, specifically for your use.”

Zhang Zheng rubbed his palms together, then again turned them towards the brazier, grumbling, “I’ve been to quite a few official post stations, and yours is by far the most dilapidated and crude.”

Zhang Xia frowned. “Brother, when we’re away from home, we shouldn’t be so particular. No one forced us to come here.”

Zhang Zheng laughed. “I was just saying it casually… I won’t say it again, I won’t say it again.”

The official looked embarrassed. “Sir, no officials are willing to come to this remote and impoverished place on normal days; the post station is just for show. Even military documents from the Ministry of War are sent directly to the Capital Command Office. There were even eunuch factions investigating Jing Dynasty spies, but they found the work too arduous and eventually withdrew.”

Zhang Zheng said, “Oh. Well, can we at least go out and buy some charcoal ourselves? Where can we find it?”

The official quickly replied, “My lords, if I may be so bold, it would be best if you didn’t go out to purchase anything yourselves. After nightfall, it’s not very safe outside… By the way, would you like dinner? Today, Guyuan Post Station only has simple fare: corn porridge and pickled vegetables, which are servants’ food. I’m afraid they might not suit your palates.”

Chen Ji smiled and said, “No need. We had mutton for lunch and are still quite full.”

“Very well.” The official cupped his hands to Chen Ji, bowed slightly, and exited the room.

Xiao Man wanted to ask him to stay and offer some porridge to try, but seeing the expressions of the others, she gave up the idea.

Zhang Xia said to Zhang Zheng, “Brother, we’ve been traveling all day. Let’s go back and rest.”

Zhang Zheng sprawled casually in his chair, refusing to move. “I’m not going back. My room is like an ice cellar. I’ll just stay in Chen Ji’s room tonight. I’ll share a bed with him.”

Xiao Man grew anxious. “Why are you acting like a ruffian? Don’t stop my Young Master from getting his rest!”

Zhang Zheng took no offense. “Fine, I can just sleep leaning on a chair. I’ll stay wherever the brazier is, anyway. A’Xia, you shouldn’t go back either. Why don’t we both roll up our bedding and sleep on the floor here in Chen Ji’s room? We can look out for each other.”

Xiao Man’s eyes widened. “Is that proper? Isn’t Miss Zhang going to marry someday? Even if my Young Master weren’t a stranger, siblings aren’t supposed to share a room, are they?”

Zhang Zheng chuckled cheerfully. “As long as we don’t tell anyone, who would know? Our Zhang family despises elaborate rules and rituals. Given the urgency, it’s safer for all of us to stay together.”

Chen Ji thought for a moment. “Alright, it would indeed be more reassuring if we all stayed together. Miss Zhang can sleep on the bed, and the rest of us will sleep on the floor.”

Xiao Man grumbled under her breath, reluctantly, “The floor is so cold. What if we get sick from sleeping on it… Young Master, I’ll go fetch another blanket for you to put underneath.”

Zhang Zheng said, chuckling, “Little girl, I thought you’d keep trying to kick us out.”

Xiao Man rolled her eyes at him. “Who are you looking down on? If the Young Master has made a decision, I won’t say another word.”

With that, she turned and left the room.

Not long after, footsteps sounded, creaking across the wooden floor on the second story of the post station.

Zhang Xia stood up and said, “I’ll go open the door for Xiao Man.” She walked forward and pushed the door open, but froze in place. Outside was only a dark, empty corridor. Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Xia quickly retreated back into the room. “Chen Ji, something’s wrong!”

As she retreated, Chen Ji, already holding his Whale Blade, brushed past her and went out to check the corridor. There was no one to the left, no one to the right, and no one on the rafters. The footsteps from moments ago seemed to have appeared out of thin air and then vanished just as suddenly.

Chen Ji gripped his Whale Blade, slowly unwrapping the cloth strips that bound it. Before he had finished, he heard Xiao Man’s startled cry from downstairs! He immediately grabbed his Whale Blade and rushed out the door, unwrapping the blade as he ran. The door next to the staircase opened, and Chen Wenzong, wrapped in a fox fur coat, asked with concern, “What’s wrong?” Chen Ji passed him without looking back, tossing the freshly unwrapped cloth strips onto the floor. “Brother, go back inside. Don’t come out.”

Downstairs, Xiao Man stood by the counter, still shaken. Chen Ji asked in a tense voice, “What happened?”

Xiao Man glanced at the Whale Blade in his hand, then pointed inside the counter. “I just came to ask the official for a new quilt, but I found him lying in there, bleeding from all seven orifices.”

Chen Ji started to go over to check, but Xiao Man grabbed his arm tightly. “Young Master, don’t go! He’s bleeding from all seven orifices; it must be the vengeful spirits of Guyuan coming for souls. It’s unclean!”

He turned his head and saw the junior official who had brought them the brazier earlier lying on the floor. Purple blood was flowing from his eyes and nostrils, like blood-tears of resentment.

Chen Ji’s heart sank. He picked up the oil lamp from the counter with one hand and, holding his Whale Blade in the other, went down the corridor, pushing open the doors of the shared bunk rooms one by one.

The Chen family’s maids and servants were all lying dead on their beds, bleeding from all seven orifices!