In the backyard of Yuan Caotang, the shopkeeper instructed four porters to load boxes of ginseng onto their backs. He then called over more than a dozen other porters to retrieve blunt-edged swords from the storeroom and fasten them to their waists.

He quietly instructed them, “Make sure to guard this ginseng carefully. Bring both the grain and ginseng back to me. Once you get there, investigate that young man’s background. See if he’s a formidable figure or just a greenhorn. If he’s just a greenhorn, act immediately.”

A porter asked, “What if he’s a formidable figure? Will we lose this ginseng to him then?”

The shopkeeper sneered, “Even a formidable figure needs to be tough enough. Now go!”

Chen Ji stood in the main hall, observing the armed porters. Casually, he remarked, “Shopkeeper, Yuan Caotang is surprisingly thoughtful. We’ve already completed the transaction, yet you’re still guarding this ginseng as if it were your own, as if you’re afraid someone might steal it. Very honorable of you.”

The shopkeeper quickly replied, “You are a valued customer of Yuan Caotang. Helping you transport the ginseng is our way of building goodwill, to ensure it isn’t stolen from you along the way.”

Chen Ji feigned surprise and uncertainty. “Who would rob us? How would they even know there’s ginseng in these boxes? It couldn’t be an inside job, could it?”

The shopkeeper’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean by that? Surely, you’re not suspecting me, esteemed guest?”

Chen Ji smiled. “Shopkeeper, you’re overthinking things. I was referring to Master Hu San, who was just here.”

The shopkeeper continued, “You may not know this, but that Old Hu San is one of Guyuan’s most powerful local figures. He’s cunning and ruthless; many people have fallen victim to his schemes.”

“Oh?” Chen Ji asked curiously, “What has he done?”

The shopkeeper recalled, “A major incident occurred the year I first arrived in Guyuan. The Dragon Gate Inn wasn’t originally called that; it was known as Fuyun Inn. Its owner, a man named Zhang, was one of the most powerful local figures in Guyuan City. Later, this Zhang fellow provoked Old Hu San, and overnight, his entire family was annihilated. The inn owner and his twelve porters were all found hanging from the twelve imperial commemorative arches on Zhongyi Street.”

Chen Ji looked puzzled. “Commemorative arches?”

The shopkeeper explained, “Those arches were bestowed by His Majesty upon General Wentao to honor his loyalty and righteousness. After General Wentao was imprisoned, the imperial court initially didn’t plan to dismantle them, hoping to appease the border army. However, the eunuch faction at court later discovered that someone had secretly erected a ‘living shrine’ for General Wentao, and within this shrine were rebellious inscriptions cursing the current emperor. Consequently, the court ordered the demolition of both the living shrine and the commemorative arches. That’s why you haven’t seen them, esteemed guest.”

Chen Ji grew even more puzzled. This incident didn’t sound like a mere dispute; it seemed connected to General Wentao’s old case.

He asked calmly, “How did Fuyun Inn provoke Old Hu San?”

The shopkeeper wasn’t aware of the specifics, only saying, “It was likely Old Hu San’s covetousness for Fuyun Inn’s connections, which allowed people to travel to the Jing Dynasty. Later, I heard the inn was taken over by General Wentao’s sworn sister and renamed Wei Yuan Inn. A year after that, it was inexplicably renamed Dragon Gate Inn again, perhaps indicating another change of ownership.”

A thought stirred in Chen Ji’s mind.

General Wentao’s sworn sister?

He quietly asked, “Where did General Wentao’s sworn sister go?”

The shopkeeper shook his head. “That, I don’t know… Esteemed guest, we should get going soon.”

Chen Ji smiled. “Alright.”

The shopkeeper’s eyes darted around. He cautiously inquired, “May I ask where your grain is stored, esteemed guest? That way, I can tell the porters exactly where to deliver the ginseng.”

Chen Ji replied casually, “Zhang’s Grain and Oil Shop in Duoku Ward.”

The shopkeeper immediately signaled to his porters. “Depart!”

“Hold on,” Chen Ji said with a smile. “It’s just a ginseng delivery; there’s no need for so many people. Four porters carrying the ginseng should be sufficient. Otherwise, if the neighbors see this, they’ll all know I have treasures at my place.”

The shopkeeper urged, “Fewer people would be unsafe.”

Chen Ji replied meaningfully, “More people would be even more unsafe.”

Seeing Chen Ji’s wariness, the shopkeeper pondered for a moment, then waved off most of the porters, leaving only the four who were carrying the boxes.

He smiled and bowed to Chen Ji, cupping his hands. “Esteemed guest, is this acceptable?”

Chen Ji cupped his hands in return. “Thank you for your trouble, shopkeeper. We shall meet again.”

The shopkeeper returned the gesture. “We shall meet again.”

Chen Ji lifted the hem of his robe, stepped over the threshold, and exited Yuan Caotang. Behind him, the shopkeeper slowly dropped his smile. “Everyone out. Two of you, follow them discreetly. The rest, take a detour and get ahead of them to Duoku Ward to find Zhang’s Grain and Oil Shop!”

“Yes, sir!” More than a dozen porters, their blunt-edged swords at their waists, filed out.

Chen Ji walked at a leisurely pace. Just as he rounded four streets and was about to head north, a porter stopped him.

The porter said curiously, “Esteemed guest, this isn’t the way to Duoku Ward.”

Chen Ji explained, “I need to make a quick detour. Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

The porter said gravely, “Esteemed guest, this batch of ginseng is very valuable. We should head to the grain and oil shop immediately, lest further complications arise from delay.”

Chen Ji scrutinized the group, then smiled and said, “Actually, my grain and oil shop isn’t in Duoku Ward. It’s in Taohuai Ward.”

The porter’s expression changed instantly, and he turned to walk back.

Chen Ji pressed a hand on his shoulder, asking lightly, “Where are you off to?”

The porter felt an immense force on his shoulder, and his knees nearly buckled. His expression shifted several times before he frantically explained, “Esteemed guest, I just remembered I left something back at Yuan Caotang.”

Chen Ji smiled and released his hand. “What’s the rush? Will something truly be lost at Yuan Caotang? Let’s deliver the ginseng first.”

The porter suppressed his frustration. “Alright, as you say.”

Along the way, the porter remained restless, glancing around nervously.

Upon reaching the grain and oil shop, Chen Ji pushed open the door. The porters’ eyes widened at the sight of grain piled high like small mountains in the courtyard.

Chen Ji pointed to the courtyard. “Just place the ginseng on the ground.”

The porters entered and unloaded the boxes from their backs, their gazes fixed greedily on the grain.

Behind them, Chen Ji closed the main door. At the sound of the door latching, the porters instinctively glanced towards the side rooms, wary of anyone rushing out.

A moment later, seeing Chen Ji still alone, the porters felt a slight sense of relief.

One of them tried to lighten the mood, asking with a smile, “Esteemed guest, why close the door? You’re not planning to keep us for lunch, are you?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “You won’t need to eat lunch ever again.”

The porters’ faces changed. One of them, in a low voice, yelled, “Distract him!”

With that, three porters drew their blunt-edged swords from their waists and charged at Chen Ji. The porter who had spoken earlier made a desperate leap, grabbing the eaves, intending to escape and report.

But just as he braced himself to clamber onto the rooftop, he saw a black cat perched on the gray tiles in front of him, silently observing him.

The porter paid no mind to Wuyun, assuming it was just a stray cat.

The next moment, Wuyun raised a paw and lightly swiped through the air.

The porter’s pupils abruptly contracted. The paw was clearly still half a step away, yet a white, blade-like flash erupted from it, effortlessly slicing across his neck.

Blood spurted from his neck. The porter’s hands lost all strength, and he toppled backward onto the ground.

With a thud, blood pooled on the ground beneath the porter. His eyes remained fixed on the rooftop, unwilling to close even as his breath faded.

Wuyun turned its head to look at Chen Ji, who was just twisting the neck of the last porter. He beckoned to the cat, “Come and eat. There’s plenty this time.”

With that, he flung open a box, revealing numerous slender, dried wild ginseng roots inside.

It was Chen Ji’s first time seeing such a large quantity of old wild ginseng. He ran his hand over them, and each root absorbed the ‘ice flow’, transforming into glistening, transparent beads that dropped to the bottom of the box. Wuyun’s eyes gleamed. “Awesome!”

Outside the grain and oil shop, two Yuan Caotang porters who had been following them sensed something was amiss when the main door closed.

Just as they were about to climb into the courtyard to investigate, they heard a thud from inside, followed by the sound of bones cracking.

They exchanged a look, then simultaneously turned and ran. “You go to Duoku Ward for reinforcements, I’ll go back to Caotang and report to the shopkeeper!”

As soon as the words left their lips, they both vanished, one to the left and one to the right, at the crossroads.

The porter ran as fast as his legs could carry him, reaching Yuan Caotang approximately two *joss sticks* (about 20-30 minutes) later.

The shopkeeper was standing at the entrance. Seeing the porter arrive breathless, his expression immediately changed. “What happened?”

The porter urgently blurted out, “That young man double-crossed us! The grain isn’t in Duoku Ward at all; it’s in Taohuai Ward! I came back to report to you. Zhao Zhong went to Duoku Ward for reinforcements… The four porters who went with him have likely already met their end!”

The shopkeeper cursed angrily, “Damn it! They think Yuan Caotang is a pushover! Go to the backyard, round up everyone, and bring that young man back to me. I’ll skin him alive myself!”

The porter rushed into the backyard and, in a flash, returned with more than a dozen porters, each carrying a blunt-edged sword. Without a word, they all charged out the door.

The shopkeeper stood at the entrance, watching his porters disappear into the distance. His face was grim as he was about to turn back inside, when he saw a lone figure approaching, wearing a bamboo hat.

He said in a low voice, “We’re closed. Please come back another time.”

The approaching figure, however, raised their head, revealing a murky, greyish-white eye beneath the hat.

The shopkeeper gasped in horror. “Old Hu San!”

The shopkeeper wanted to call for his porters, but then remembered he had sent them all out.

Master Hu San said nothing, delivering a swift hand chop to the shopkeeper’s neck.

On the street, two waste collectors were passing by, pulling a manure cart. Master Hu San whistled. The collectors put down the cart’s handles, pushed the shopkeeper into the manure cart, and continued on their way.

A few other passersby silently approached. They closed the main doors of Yuan Caotang, shutting off the view from outside.

A moment later, these same passersby reopened the doors, carried out boxes of wild ginseng, and departed, leaving only Master Hu San standing inside Yuan Caotang.

Master Hu San tucked the nine strings of Buddhist cash coins that Chen Ji had just handed to the shopkeeper into his robes before nonchalantly walking away.

From start to finish, not a single word was spoken.

Just then, the long-tolling bell of Guyuan City rang out once more. Master Hu San abruptly turned his head, only to see the grand banner of the Guyuan Border Army slowly being lowered from the distant city battlements.

Hu Junxian was about to open the gates and surrender the city!