Two more powerful gusts swept past outside the boat. The man had smooth skin, a fresh and handsome face, pearly white teeth, and a pair of clear, limpid eyes. He looked like a lovable, approachable big boy.
The woman's face was as white as beautiful jade. Her shadowed features were gentle and charming, and she was lively, beautiful, willful, and adorable. Her pure yet dazzling appearance, along with her thin, blade-like willow brows rising and falling, made her look exceptionally handsome and spirited.
The five stood outside the cabin, momentarily unsure whether to advance or retreat, looking rather awkward.
After a while, the lamps extinguished during the earlier fight inside the cabin were lit again.
The woman in embroidered robes slowly emerged from the cabin. She crossed her hands over her chest, bowed slightly, then bent forward and gave the five a graceful salute. "I am Tian Chun. Thank you, young heroes, for saving me!"
Her voice carried a faint nasal tone, like a whirlpool suddenly forming in a bottomless, secluded pool, drawing in everything around it.
Tian Chun's words broke the awkward silence. Qin Shuang was the first to cup his fists toward the others. "I am Qin Shuang of the Dragon Guard in Chaoge City. A pleasure to meet you all!"
The woman in blue sheathed her long sword. "Wu Xuan Shuang of Bing Province. I look forward to your guidance."
The young man in white brocade robes gave an arrogant yet refined smile, standing out from the crowd. "My surname is Bai. My humble name is Choufei."
The last man and woman to arrive introduced themselves in turn. "Wang Xiaoshi. The Wang of king, the Xiao of big and small, and the Shi of stone."
"Wen Rou, from Lingnan!"
As they spoke, Tian Chun led everyone into the cabin and had several maids clean up the mess left by the battle.
Qin Shuang watched as Tian Chun instructed the maids to clear away the damaged furniture, deal with the corpses, wipe up the blood, serve tea, prepare wine, and take care of everything else. Her calm attitude, composed manner, and extraordinary bearing made her seem nothing like a hostage who had just been rescued from an abduction. Qin Shuang could not help looking at her in a new light.
After everyone took their seats, Tian Chun raised her teacup and thanked the five once more. "If not for the five of you tonight, the consequences would have been unthinkable. I will never forget this kindness. Allow me to toast you all with tea in place of wine!"
After drinking the hot tea, Qin Shuang felt warm inside, like spring had arrived. "You are too kind, Miss Tian. Putting aside the fact that people of the martial world should draw their swords to help when they see injustice, the presence of bandits causing trouble within Si Province is the imperial court's responsibility. As a member of the Dragon Guard in Chaoge City, I cannot shirk my duty."
"Young Hero Qin is right. People of the martial world should act bravely for justice. There is no need to thank us." Wen Rou was the first to chime in.
Wang Xiaoshi, however, answered honestly. "Wen and I realized what was happening too late and nearly cost Miss Tian and the others their lives. We owe it to Brother Bai, Young Hero Qin, and Heroine Wu for acting in time."
Bai Choufei was the oldest and most experienced among them. He spoke at length. "These seven are Zhao Dadao, Qian Erqiang, Sun Sanjian, Li Xiji, Zhou Wufu, Wu Liuyue, and Zheng Qigou. Their true names can no longer be verified. Years ago, they gathered around the Pu River, committing every kind of crime, and called themselves the Seven Fiends of Pu River. Each was highly skilled, and neither the martial world nor the imperial court could do anything about them. However, over the past two years, they joined the Seven Saints of the Misty Heaven. Why they have returned to the Pu River to resume their old trade, I cannot say."
Tian Chun smiled gently, charming and alluring. "I do not know how I provoked these so-called Seven Fiends of Pu River, but how dare those seven call themselves fiends? In my opinion, they were nothing but helpless rats in the hands of you all."
"Could it be that we are simply too strong?" Qin Shuang raised his brows and laughed lightly, speaking from the heart. "Heroine Wu's swordsmanship is exquisite and fierce, unlike anything I have ever seen. Brother Bai's finger force is even faster and sharper, leaving no room for evasion. Though Brother Wang and Miss Wen did not make a move, their movement technique in crossing the river alone shows that they are far from ordinary. I consider myself fairly capable among the younger members of the Dragon Guard in Chaoge City, but after leaving home this time and meeting all of you, I realized that I was merely a frog at the bottom of a well, ignorant and poorly informed!"
"Young Hero Qin, you flatter us far too much!"
"I could never accept such praise!"
Seeing their modesty, Qin Shuang continued asking, "May I ask where you intend to go next?"
"Chaoge City!" Bai Choufei answered succinctly.
"My father is in Chaoge. I came here precisely to find him." Tian Chun's voice was soft.
"Chaoge City. I want to see the grandeur of the Great Shang Kingdom's imperial capital!" Wang Xiaoshi's destination was also Chaoge City.
"I am going to Chaoge too. I am going to seek refuge with my aunt." The speaker was Wu Xuan Shuang.
Wen Rou looked left and right in surprise. "What a coincidence! I am also going to Chaoge to find my senior brother. We can travel together. It will be so much livelier along the way!"
Everyone found the coincidence wonderful and agreed one after another.
Fortunately, Tian Chun's boat was large enough that adding five more people was no problem at all.
The six were of similar ages. They traveled down the river together on the same boat, drinking wine and sampling fine dishes while discussing the heroes and warriors of the martial world, their fine clothes, swift steeds, joyful grudges, and hard-won vengeance. They even boldly passed judgment on the grandmasters and warlords who held sway over the martial world.
They witnessed Tian Chun's zither playing, Wang Xiaoshi's flute, Bai Choufei's singing, and Wu Xuan Shuang's sword dance.
Such a life made Qin Shuang feel exceptionally peaceful and comfortable. Yet whenever the night grew deep and still, he also knew clearly that once he grew accustomed to such a life, it would wear away his fighting spirit. At eighteen, he was still far from the point where he could stop walking, admire the scenery, and enjoy life.
Some things were enough simply to have experienced once!
Thus, on the fifth night, Qin Shuang left behind a letter filled with apologies and returned to Chaoge City alone.
Young as he was, he did not know how to face parting, so he chose to leave without saying goodbye.
After returning to Chaoge City, Qin Shuang immediately reported his safety to Qin Hongmian, then went back to the Dragon Guard Yamen to submit his report.
In the main hall of the Divine Division of the Yu Unit of the Dragon Guard Yamen, Qin Shuang gave Yang Yuncong a detailed account in a leisurely manner.
Yang Yuncong listened with a beaming smile. When Qin Shuang finished, he looked at him with satisfaction. "Good lad, you completed the promotion assessment mission that quickly? I thought it would take you a month or two to investigate this case!"
"Heh heh, I was just lucky. Just lucky!"
"What luck? Why are you being modest in front of me? You chose an excellent point of entry and immediately grasped the core of the case and its key figures. Very good. You have a real talent for investigation and solving cases!" Yang Yuncong praised.
"Uncle Yang, you are too kind." Qin Shuang scratched his head, unusually embarrassed.
"By the way, would you be willing to go undercover?" Yang Yuncong suddenly asked.
"What? Undercover?" Qin Shuang failed to react for a moment, then repeated himself.
"Uncle Yang, look at this handsome face of mine. Do I look like an undercover agent?" Qin Shuang exaggeratedly tugged at his own face.
Yang Yuncong carefully examined Qin Shuang for a while, then said with complete seriousness, "You do!"
"..."
Yang Yuncong continued, "I am not joking. My instincts tell me that if you go undercover, you will definitely succeed. You might even become famous overnight!"
"Uncle Yang, stop messing with me. Going undercover is tense and exciting, and your life could be in danger at any moment. You should find someone calculating, cunning, quick-witted, and highly skilled in martial arts!" Qin Shuang said with a mournful expression.
"Are you not exactly that kind of person?"
"..."
Before you continue