Awaiting Guests

Ever since the batch of valuables dug out of the sorghum fields had been brought into the Yan Prefecture government offices, Magistrate Dai Sheng had been unable to sleep peacefully, day or night.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he felt as though someone had pressed an icy broadsword against his neck.

It frightened him awake from his dreams, leaving him staring wide-eyed until dawn.

That day, Dai Sheng was once again sitting in front of the hall early in the morning, lost in a daze.

The mere thought of those unearthed treasures sent a throbbing pain through Dai Sheng's forehead.

Prince Duan would be arriving soon.

If Yan Prefecture had any achievements in governance worth showing off, they could only be those connected to the bandits.

But if he truly took this step, he feared there would be no turning back.

For now, Dai Sheng could only hope that these unearthed goods would hold things together until Prince Duan returned to the capital.

Then he could think of a safe way to deal with them.

Sitting alone in front of the hall, Dai Sheng saw Yang Qing's face flash before his eyes again, and another chill crept down his back.

He simply could not see through Lord Yang. The man seemed close to everyone, yet in truth he kept a layer between himself and them all, leaving others unable to understand just what he intended to do.

What did he intend to do? Whatever it was, he would still have to get my approval.

So what if he was the military governor?

It was nothing more than an empty post with no real authority.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, the brow Dai Sheng had kept tightly furrowed for days gradually relaxed.

While Dai Sheng trembled with apprehension on one side, elsewhere someone was raging over the batch of valuables that had been dug up.

Outside Yan Prefecture City, Blackwater Ravine.

A figure hurried in from outside, heading straight for a stone house in the mountains.

"Second Brother, someone dug up and took that shipment we buried at the foot of the mountain!"

The moment he entered the house, he shouted at the man seated in the place of honor.

"Dug it up and took it? Here in Yan Prefecture, what blind fool had the gall to lay a hand on our goods?"

With a bang, the man in the seat of honor slammed his fist against the stone table beside him and sprang to his feet.

"It—it was that Fatty Dai!"

"Fatty Dai? Gather the brothers and grab your weapons!"

"Yes!"

The newcomer turned and hurried outside again, but before he had gone more than a few steps, someone blocked his path. "All of you stay put and behave yourselves. No one is going anywhere!"

"Head Steward? What brings you here?"

Li Hai glanced at the man in the seat of honor. "Tiger, the master specifically sent this old servant to tell you to lie low these next few days. Don't go out stirring up trouble."

"Someone took a fortune from us. How am I supposed to swallow that? Besides, Fatty Dai has gone too far this time! Since when did a petty magistrate like him dare reach his hand over our heads?"

Tiger spoke darkly. "Master Li may want to let this matter rest, but I don't! If we do, how are the brothers supposed to keep a foothold on this little patch of turf?"

"Fatty Dai alone couldn't stir up waves this big. You know Yan Prefecture recently got a new military governor, don't you? He's behind all of this."

Li Hai continued, "The master said there's something uncanny about this new military governor, so he wants all of you to behave yourselves and wait until the storm blows over before coming out again."

"A new military governor? If he doesn't provoke us, we'll let him keep his miserable life. If he does, we'll turn him into a sky lantern and show him what's what!" Tiger said dismissively.

"Tiger!" Li Hai raised his voice.

Tiger stiffened his neck and said nothing. After a long while, he kicked the round-backed armchair beside him, smashing it to pieces with a bang.

"Remember, do not stir up trouble." With that, Li Hai turned and left.

Watching Li Hai's retreating back, Tiger turned to the man beside him. "Wood, get ready. You're coming out with me tonight."

Wood froze. "Second Brother, you're still going out? If Master Li finds out, this could..."

"If neither of us says anything, how the hell will the master of the Li Household know?"

"All right! They dared steal our goods, so let's give them a lesson!" Wood slapped his thigh.

After saying that, Wood seemed to remember something, and much of his newfound ferocity suddenly drained away.

Seeing Wood's dejected expression, Tiger glared at him. "What the hell are you mourning for? Everything was fine a moment ago!"

Wood raised his head and looked at Tiger. "Second Brother, I was just thinking about our eldest brother."

"Eldest Brother?"

At Wood's words, Tiger was briefly stunned as well.

"Think about it. When Eldest Brother was still around, we really did live free and easy. But ever since he met his end at Massacre Slope for no clear reason, trouble has kept piling up on our side."

"I've been turning it over in my mind. Could someone be plotting against us?"

"Hmph. Even if someone's plotting, they have no business plotting against us. Taking our goods was a slap in our faces!"

"I'm getting back both our pride and what's ours, no matter what!"

At Tiger's words, the strange feeling in Wood's heart swiftly scattered like clouds and mist before the wind.

He chimed in again. "Second Brother, you're right! We have to settle this score!"

"Otherwise, won't those people turn the heavens upside down on us from now on?"

That night, the Yang Residence in Little Willow Lane.

Yang Qing sat in front of the hall, quietly reading by the light of a small candle, while Bu Er crouched by the threshold, shaving a length of bamboo with a little knife.

One cut split the bamboo.

A second sliced it into thin strips.

A few more cuts produced a large handful of slender bamboo strips.

Bu Er took the strips in his hands, bending and weaving them. Before long, a tiny flower basket began to take shape.

Yang Qing's gaze fell on the little flower basket in Bu Er's hands, and the corners of his mouth lifted. "Bu Er, who are you planning to welcome?"

Bu Er looked back at Yang Qing. "..."

Young Master, why don't you say it's for seeing someone off?

Yang Qing withdrew his gaze and returned to the pages in his hands.

The hall doors stood open. A draft swept through, making the little candle flame flicker twice.

When the wind passed, two people had appeared in the previously empty hall.

Both wore black clothes and black cloths over their faces. They were dark from head to toe, save for the sabers in their hands, which gleamed with a cold, muted light beneath the dim yellow candlelight.

Yang Qing gently set his book on the table and looked at the two uninvited guests before him, his eyes calm and unruffled.

"I thought you might not come."

"You, Yang! Cough up my things, and I'll spare your worthless life!"

Tiger slapped his saber against the table with repeated clangs.

"It seems you truly don't remember what this place is." Yang Qing slowly rose to his feet.

"Place? What place? Yang, quit playing these tricks to scare me. I didn't grow up being frightened into submission."

Tiger slapped his saber onto the table, then sat down in the grand armchair beside it.