C9 Zhang Qiao'er

Early in the morning, Hu Ren entered the private residence, food in hand, humming a tune as he made his way to the backyard. His uncle's praise had put him in high spirits.

Upon arriving at the backyard, he was shocked by the sight before him. Zhang's body lay sprawled near the storeroom, surrounded by a pool of blood.

With a furrowed brow, Hu Ren dashed inside the house, only to find the dungeon's iron door flung open. The colt-faced constable had been decapitated, his death a gruesome sight.

Drawing his waist knife, Hu Ren cautiously approached the dungeon. Peering down, he discovered another body on the staircase.

"What in the world happened here?"

Despite the clear danger, Hu Ren boldly descended the stairs, knife at the ready. As he reached the third step, chaos erupted.

A bone knife swiped at his thigh. Trained in martial arts, Hu Ren's reflexes were sharp, and he sidestepped swiftly.

In that moment, he saw his assailant—a skeleton with eerie green light glowing from its eye sockets.

The bone knife sliced through the air, nicking his trousers and leaving a gash.

Hu Ren confronted the skeleton soldier. "Who are you, and where do you come from?" he demanded.

The skeleton soldier, unable to comprehend his words, simply continued to execute Lee Fei's orders, brandishing the bone knife for another attack.

This time, Hu Ren was ready. With a swift kick, he pinned the bone knife under his foot, then unleashed a flurry of strikes with his waist knife.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several blows, the skeleton soldier's head flew off, and the bones clattered to the ground.

"They look frightening, but they're utterly useless," Hu Ren laughed heartily, sending the bone knife skittering with a kick.

Descending the rest of the stairs, Hu Ren's unease grew as he saw the skull's jawbone still moving. Scanning the area, he found no trace of Lee Fei, which only soured his mood further. He took out his frustration on the skull, stomping on it repeatedly until he felt a sense of release.

"These worthless fools couldn't even guard a pretty boy. They got what they deserved!"

After berating the deceased, he suddenly felt an itch on his leg. Unable to resist, he glanced down and noticed a tiny wound where the bone knife had grazed him. Blood was now slowly oozing from the cut.

Muttering a curse at his misfortune, Hu Ren made his way out of the dungeon, pondering how to report the incident to his uncle.

Meanwhile, Lee Fei had been settled into a modest courtyard by Zhang Qiao'er, who had taken great care of him. She had even gone out to procure two types of medicine for him: one for topical application and another for ingestion.

Once she had taken care of these tasks, Zhang Qiao'er hurriedly departed, concerned that staying away too long might raise Magistrate Hu's suspicions.

Lee Fei awoke from a brief nap, his stomach in knots from hunger and his arm throbbing painfully from the bite.

Zhang Qiao'er had left some pastries in a food box on the table, a small comfort for his hunger.

Approaching the table, Lee Fei lifted the lid of the food box to reveal seven or eight spiral-shaped pastries. Some were flat like oysters, others elongated like snails.

He picked up a pastry and bit into it, finding the sweet taste quite pleasant.

He devoured five pastries in quick succession, not daring to finish them all. Uncertain of the situation outside and when Zhang Qiao'er might bring more food—if at all—he refrained from eating them all.

If she didn't return, he realized he'd have to fend for himself.

With that thought, Lee Fei wiped his mouth and settled onto the bed to meditate, focusing on enhancing his magical energy.

The ordeal had taught him a harsh lesson: he had been too careless and had underestimated the greed of others. The adage "do not flaunt your wealth" had been told to him numerous times, yet he had never truly heeded the advice.

He silently vowed to exact revenge on those who had wronged him.

In the early hours of the morning, a lithe figure rounded a corner in a secluded alley and paused in front of a small house, rapping on the door in a pattern of three long and two short knocks—their prearranged secret signal.

Shortly after, the door to the estate swung open, and Lee Fei peeked out, scanning the surroundings before stepping aside to let Zhang Qiao'er in.

Once inside, they lit a small lamp, and Zhang Qiao'er unpacked a food box, laying out the contents on the table. "Young Master Lee, you're a wanted man now. It's not safe to linger here," she cautioned.

"The streets must be plastered with my posters. I just wonder if they've made me look bad," Lee Fei mused with a soft chuckle.

Zhang Qiao'er couldn't help but laugh. "How can you be so carefree, even finding time to joke?"

Lee Fei, ravenous, spotted the roasted chicken she brought and, without hesitation, tore off a leg and started devouring it.

"Take it easy, or you'll choke," Zhang Qiao'er advised, patting his back with a tender touch.

Moved by her kindness, Lee Fei inquired, "Miss Zhang, why go to such lengths to help me?"

"Perhaps it's for redemption," Zhang Qiao'er sighed wistfully. "Though taken by force, I've lived in opulence. But knowing it's all plundered by bandits makes it hard to enjoy."

"Why stay by his side then? Why not leave?" Lee Fei asked casually.

Zhang Qiao'er gave a bitter smile. "It's not that simple. My parents are still alive, and my brother is young. If I fled, it would endanger them. And where could a defenseless woman like me run to? So, I remain, reluctantly enduring each day beside the bandits."

Everyone has their own trials. She was no exception, and neither was he, forced to skulk in the shadows, too afraid to show his face.

Silence fell upon the room, soon interrupted by the sound of Lee Fei's chewing.

Zhang Qiao'er sat there, resting her chin in her hands, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions as she observed the man before her. His face was swollen, almost comically so, yet there was an endearing quality to it.

Moreover, he was the first person she knew who had managed to escape the bandit's clutches. Others weren't so lucky, either perishing in the dungeons or vanishing without a trace.

Seeing that Lee Fei was nearly done with his meal, Zhang Qiao'er personally poured him a cup of tea and said, "Young Master Lee, have some tea to help settle the food in your stomach."

Lee Fei accepted the cup with a word of thanks and downed the tea in one go.

Afterward, Zhang Qiao'er tended to his arm, applying medicine to the bloody bite mark. She inquired, "Does it hurt?"

"To say it doesn't would be lying," Lee Fei admitted. "By the way, did you find out anything about the matter I asked you to look into?"

Zhang Qiao'er nodded, though her face showed concern. "I did find out, but the likelihood of stealing it seems slim. The bandit has hidden the black and white round rod in the warehouse, under tight security. They're planning to present it to Cai Jing for his birthday."

Lee Fei, well-versed in history, was quite familiar with Cai Jing. He had served as Prime Minister of Qouprovia for 17 years, during which he formed cliques, framed the loyal and good, and was thoroughly corrupt and bribed. He was far worse than Gao Qiu, who was extensively described in the Water Margin.

If we can't retrieve the round rod from Magistrate Hu, trying to get it back from Cai Jing's hands would be next to impossible.

Noticing Lee Fei's troubled look, Zhang Qiao'er offered advice once more: "Young Master Lee, there's a saying that to gain something, one must be willing to let go. Please don't risk your life for a mere object."

Lee Fei nodded with a wry smile. "I'm aware of that wisdom, but discussing it further is pointless. I still need to ask for your help with something else."

Seeing Lee Fei's stubbornness, Zhang Qiao'er couldn't hide her frustration. "You just don't get it, do you? You're as thick-headed as they come. I'm out of here."

With that, she grabbed her lunch box and turned to leave. Lee Fei quickly extended his hand and caught her arm, pulling her back.

In an instant, they were pressed close together, each acutely aware of the other's breathing. To add to the awkwardness, Lee Fei's left arm was firmly pressed against Zhang Qiao'er's right breast.

Lee Fei gazed at her charming face and was momentarily captivated. In a gentle voice, he said, "You are truly beautiful!"

Zhang Qiao'er's cheeks flushed with a shy crimson. "Young Master Lee," she murmured, "it's improper for men and women to touch. Please, release my hand."

Lee Fei promptly released her arm and, scratching his head, said, "That round rod is indeed irreplaceable to me. Could you assist me in finding out when and where the birthday gift will be delivered?"

"I will see to it. I must go now." With those words, Zhang Qiao'er dashed out of the room like a startled fawn.

As the door shut behind her, Lee Fei was struck by a profound sense of emptiness.

The lingering scent of the lady remained, yet the room was now devoid of her presence, leaving only solitude behind.