C3 The Flowers Withered Overnight

As the imperial guards departed, the young official quietly closed his black umbrella, allowing the icy snowflakes to settle on his lustrous, ink-black hair.

"Being an official is fraught with peril—one misstep and it could be the end. It's bitterly cold today, isn't it, Fanger?" he remarked, his gaze settling on a shadowy woodpile where a pretty little girl was seated.

With her long, raven hair styled into twin looped buns, the girl sat on the woodpile, her delicate feet clad in red embroidered shoes, swinging gently. Despite the heavy snowfall, she wore only a thin red silk dress adorned with golden brocade flowers.

Her presence was so quiet that even the Ministry of Punishments' guards, who had been nearby for quite some time, had failed to detect her.

Clutching a skewer of candied hawthorn, the girl's slender white hands were adorned with a bracelet of silver bells that tinkled softly in the breeze.

She nibbled on a sugar-coated hawthorn berry, her petite mouth moving slightly. Her lips, reminiscent of cherries, parted to release a few hawthorn seeds before she swallowed the tangy flesh.

"Your kindness is a rare virtue, Excellency. Had you not warned me, those men would have perished tonight. This matter bears the hallmark of someone powerful within the palace. Chang'an may be the most bustling of cities, but it's also a place that devours its own. Here, it's commonplace for people to prey on one another, never knowing when they'll become pawns in someone else's game. But they have only themselves to blame, those novices who insist on meddling in investigations," she said, her eyes darting toward the brightly lit imperial city as she finished her candied fruit.

"We must afford the Ministry of Punishments their due respect. After all, they only aim to pilfer a few tricks from my investigations," the official said with a resigned shrug.

Suddenly, the girl hopped down from the woodpile and tugged at the young official's sleeve, using it to wipe her sticky hands.

"Fanger... You..."

The young official looked down at the girl, who barely reached his waist, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"Considering your clothes haven't been changed in ages, they might as well serve as a rag. However, the demise of these individuals is no trivial matter. The entire Ying Feng squad has been wiped out—those were the palace's own men. Can you truly handle the one responsible for their deaths?"

"Even if he's aware of his fate, what chance does he stand against Lord Di Renjie, who is also privy to the world's destiny?"

The girl cocked her head and tucked her freshly cleaned hands back into her sleeves, gazing at the bloodstains on the snow.

"Fanger, you're overestimating your master and underestimating that fellow. Knowledge of fate or not, I'm merely a detective on a case.

"And that man, even if he knows nothing, if you so much as touch his belongings, he will hunt you down to the ends of the earth!

"Madmen are the most dangerous, especially those with nothing to lose..."

With a sigh, Di Renjie donned the black brocade robe hanging from the woodpile. The thick fabric was enough to ward off the chill, though a quirky little red flower was embroidered at the neckline.

He took the girl's hand and popped open the black umbrella once more.

"The officials from the Ministry Of Punishments will be here soon; we should head out too. The wind and snow are fierce tonight...

"Someone else will handle that man; we have our own tasks. It's best to forget this affair; knowing too much can be lethal..."

"Understood, milord. But what is our task?"

"We're off to the Spring Night Restaurant for a late-night meal. By the way, Fanger, did you stitch this flower?"

"Mhm, it's to add a festive touch for the New Year."

"Well done, but please refrain next time. This is my only fine garment..."

...

The ambiance at the gates of Chang'an City was decidedly more somber than within the city itself.

The few red lanterns strung up on the gates stood no chance against the relentless snowfall outside. The darkness beyond the walls of Chang'an City swallowed the feeble glow of the lanterns.

On the main tower, the duty soldiers had taken leave to go home for the holiday celebrations, leaving the tower desolate and silent.

In the snowy night, a solitary figure in white stood motionless on the tower. She was a woman, strikingly beautiful.

Despite being clad in mourning attire and a veil, with her unstyled hair cascading softly to her waist, she was, without a doubt, the most captivating sight in all of Chang'an City.

The blizzard was fierce as the woman stood atop the highest rampart, surveying the entirety of Chang'an City.

"Is this the season's first snowfall in Chang'an?" she mused.

"Indeed, heavy snow heralds a bountiful year! It's an auspicious sign from above."

In a dimly lit, eerie tower, a figure sat in silence, sipping from a jar of strong liquor and nibbling on slices of cooked beef.

The darkness was so profound that the person's face remained obscured. Only their icy voice cut through the howling wind, so chilling that even words of flattery seemed out of place.

"The world has seen so much change. I never thought you'd take to speaking kindly."

Turning, the woman offered a slight smile to the shadowy figure in the tower. Even behind her veil, the beauty of her smile was unmistakable.

Yet within that smile, it was unclear whether she conveyed resignation or irony.

"I've been told this isn't a battlefield. You can't drink your way to feelings.

To make it in Chang'an City, you've got to sweeten your words. I'm not ready to die just yet, so I've learned to speak pleasantly. And really, how could that be harder than learning to kill?"

The person in the tower's voice remained frosty as they gulped down the fiery alcohol.

"Sometimes, a drink can be useful, depending on the company. But you should stick to your own bottle...

I don't enjoy your flattery. There's another drinking outside the city walls who's never once uttered a word to my liking."

With a sigh, the woman's gaze drifted to the snowstorm beyond the city.

Bathed in moonlight, the snow fell like feathers. In a lakeside pavilion, a lone figure could be seen toasting the moon with a fine drink.

"So, he's out there while I remain within these walls. And while he has only his wine, I have this succulent beef as well.

By that measure, he's certainly at a disadvantage."

As the last of the wine was consumed, the sound of shattering pottery echoed from the tower, signaling the jar's demise.

She caressed a flower branch, its withered limbs blanketed in snow. Amidst the tempest, a peony persevered, blooming defiantly—the final blossom in Chang'an City.

The flower was down to its last stamen, its few remaining withered petals threatening to fall at the whim of the wind. A woman plucked the peony and tenderly blew on it in her palm. Moments later, the dried petals took flight into the blizzard beyond the city walls, fluttering away like butterflies until they vanished from sight.

"Now even the peony is gone. With this snow, every flower in Chang'an has perished. Is that a good or a bad thing?" Brushing the petal dust from her hands, the woman watched the remnants disappear into the storm and murmured thoughtfully.

"Good or bad? Isn't that for you to decide?" Inside the small building, another jar of spirits was uncorked, its potent aroma bringing a rosy flush to the woman's cheeks.

Silence fell between them, one gazing out at the snowstorm in quiet contemplation, the other sipping wine in solitude.

After a while, the woman spoke up softly. "Do me a favor, can you stop the man drinking outside the city?"

"I can. Have him come into the city, and I'll kill him."

"He can't enter the city."

"Nor can I leave. If he enters, he dies. If I leave, I die. Don't you see?"

...

"Well then, perhaps you can stop the person inside the city."

With a furrowed brow, the woman peered down at the empty streets beneath the city gates and spoke slowly. "That won't work either. If I stop him, it might give the outsider a chance to enter. If both madmen end up in the city, more than just my life will be at risk."

Jar after jar of wine was consumed, yet the person in the small building steadfastly refused to appear.

"Neither the outsider nor the insider will do. I'm beginning to question whether it's worth sustaining you on fine wine and beef every day."

Her voice tinged with irritation, the woman glared at the ominous small building and said icily.

"Yet, I am the only one who can protect Chang'an City. If I die, who else would be willing to defend it for you?"

A gulp of fiery liquor was swallowed, and the icy voice from within the small building drifted to the woman's ears.

"Then guard this city well. And for the one inside the city, just ensure he doesn't cross the city gates."

Facing the snowstorm, she inhaled sharply, seemingly trying to quell the heat of her emotions.

The woman whirled around just as the door of the small building behind her abruptly shut. It was unclear whether it was the blizzard or some other mysterious force at play...

She was enveloped by the dark night and the swirling snow, yet before her lay the thriving wealth of Chang'an City. Perched atop the city wall, her gaze was fixed intently on one particular spot.

Beneath the faint glow of dim red lanterns, the city's exit road appeared both festive and forlorn.

In the howling wind, the sound of footsteps emerged, faint but distinct—the mere whisper of toes grazing the snowy ground.

Yet the woman caught the sound.

She straightened her clothing and looked on with a complex mix of emotions, watching as a figure slowly approached.

Amidst the falling snow, the lanterns' crimson light finally revealed the face of the approaching silhouette.

It was a slender youth, his ragged clothing strikingly red. Clutched tightly in his arms was a small, snow-white bundle.

Braving the blizzard, the young man walked alone.

The old chill of the moonlit frost grew more distant as he left the vibrancy of the city behind, eventually disappearing into the night.

The youth seemed profoundly alone. Chang'an City was vast, but now, his only support was the nearly broken bamboo stick in his hand!

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