Uneventful days

The next three days passed without any dramatic, heart-stopping events.

Instead, they were extraordinarily peaceful, as peaceful as an ordinary young couple's life together.

Liu Yun had none of the airs of someone long accustomed to high office. Once her injuries had improved a little,

she began doing whatever she could manage, such as washing dishes and taking care of small chores.

Luoshui City had regained its outward calm, but beneath the surface, winds rose and clouds churned.

When Li Ping'an went to the teahouse for a meal, he heard people saying that the princess had been blown up aboard her treasure ship.

Not even her bones remained, but they had found the jade pendant she wore close to her body, along with other things that proved her identity.

It seemed the skies over Great Sui were about to change.

But the affairs of those lofty imperial halls were not Li Ping'an's concern.

Nor did he have any interest in meddling in that mess.

Li Ping'an was just about to settle his bill when he caught a familiar voice.

It belonged to Wang Dali, Proprietor Wang of Tong Ren Tang.

A thought stirred in Li Ping'an's mind, and he walked over.

"Proprietor Wang."

Wang Dali was drinking with several friends. When he looked up and saw Li Ping'an, he jumped in fright.

He had previously hired Xiao Wu and Li Ping'an, only for a strange twist of fate to draw them into the bombing of the princess's treasure ship.

Xiao Wu had been killed as a result, and his family had been implicated as well.

For a time, this had left Wang Dali terrified that he, too, would be dragged into it.

Fortunately, Xiao Wu was already dead.

Who could have imagined he would run into Li Ping'an again?

Wang Dali hurriedly pulled Li Ping'an aside.

"Proprietor Wang," Li Ping'an said, "something unexpected happened over the past few days. I was wondering whether our commission still stands."

Now that the storm had passed, Li Ping'an finally remembered the task Wang Dali had entrusted to him and Xiao Wu.

Wang Dali gave Li Ping'an a puzzled look, unsure what medicine he was hiding in his gourd.

"It does."

After a moment's hesitation, Wang Dali nodded.

Li Ping'an smiled faintly. "Good. Sorry for the trouble, but please keep an eye out for that man's whereabouts for me."

"No problem."

Wang Dali had not expected Li Ping'an to take their agreement so seriously.

Still, he did not think much of it. After all, Li Ping'an was only a blind man.

When he had first commissioned the job, it had mainly been because of Xiao Wu's reputation.

Xiao Wu had managed to capture Ma Sandao alive.

Surely he would have had some way to deal with Wang Dali's enemy, Liu Bo, too.

But who could have foreseen Xiao Wu getting caught up in such a disaster? He had simply been unlucky.

"I'll take my leave, then." Li Ping'an cupped his hands and left.

Watching Li Ping'an walk away with his cane, Wang Dali shook his head.

Li Ping'an had just returned home when his expression suddenly shifted.

He had sensed someone else's presence.

The innkeeper.

"Proprietor, what brings you here today?"

The innkeeper was wandering around the little courtyard, his belly jutting out.

Seeing Li Ping'an return, he smiled. "Nothing much. Just having a look around."

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Li Ping'an asked.

"No, they've already made dinner at home. Let's go inside for some tea."

Over several cups of tea, the two chatted about everything under the sun.

The innkeeper rather enjoyed talking with Li Ping'an.

Li Ping'an knew a great deal and had a way with words.

They drank and chatted for a full hour before the innkeeper finally took his leisurely leave.

Once the innkeeper had gone, Li Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come out. He's gone."

"Phew."

Only then did Liu Yun emerge from her hiding place.

She wore only a loose outer robe, her hair was dripping wet, and she had not even managed to fasten the buttons over her chest.

Clearly, she had been bathing when she suddenly heard someone arrive.

Then she had hidden herself.

A soft glow seemed to veil Liu Yun's face, and her eyes curved into little crescents, an unusual allure shining through their charm.

"That scared me to death."

Li Ping'an frowned slightly. "You took a bath?"

"Yes."

Sometimes Liu Yun really did wonder whether Li Ping'an was blind at all.

"You can't get your wounds wet."

"They're mostly healed," Liu Yun said.

Her injuries had healed, but she still did not dare leave the city.

Never mind leaving the city-even stepping outside this little courtyard was extremely dangerous.

Li Ping'an had indeed sensed that Liu Yun was recovering quickly. Her vitality had already reached that of a healthy person.

Still worried, he walked over and checked her wounds.

To his surprise, he discovered that most of her wounds had closed, and some had even grown new skin.

In just a few short days, she had almost completely recovered.

For a frail woman like Liu Yun, this was nearly impossible.

But Li Ping'an asked no further questions. Everyone had their little secrets.

He had no desire to pry, either.

Liu Yun's exquisitely beautiful face now resembled a rosy peach.

Pink suffused its pale skin, giving it a lustrous glow.

Although she knew Li Ping'an could not see,

she had just bathed and was almost entirely unclothed, so she still felt rather uncomfortable.

"I might be home a little late tomorrow. Have dinner without me," Li Ping'an said.

"All right." Liu Yun nodded obediently.

The night passed uneventfully.

When Liu Yun got out of bed the next morning, she discovered that Li Ping'an was already gone.

Steamed buns and rice porridge had been prepared and left on the table.

Night fell.

The clamor of the city gradually gave way to the night.

Across the rows of houses, some rooms were lit, while others lay in complete darkness.

Ever since the incident aboard the princess's treasure ship, Luoshui City had been under curfew.

Merchant ships were barred from passing through as well, and almost every vessel heading south had been detained.

Sitting in a little boat and watching the surging river, Liu Bo could not help letting out a long sigh.

"Hm? Old man, where are you taking this boat?"

Liu Bo suddenly realized something was wrong.

The old man rowing the boat tugged his straw hat lower. Instead of answering the question, he said, "My employer wants you alive. If you don't want me to break your arms and legs, you'd better behave."

Liu Bo reached for the blade at his waist, eyeing the other man warily.

He froze for a moment when he saw that the man's eyes were closed.

Then realization struck. He's blind!

Even so, Liu Bo did not dare let his guard down. He drew a short blade from his waist.

The hazy moonlight flickered between brightness and shadow.

The cane swept toward him like the wind, snapping his short blade in an instant.

The Blind Man became a blur, appeared at Liu Bo's right side, and knocked him into the water with one blow of his cane.

Tong Ren Tang.

Wang Dali had been drinking all day and only now began to feel weary.

He leaned against the table.

"Uncle! Uncle!"

In his daze, he seemed to see his nephew, who had died such a terrible death.

His heart lurched, and his hand trembled.

With a crash, the teacup fell to the floor.

The steward hurried over. "Master, Master."

Wang Dali let out a long sigh.

Wang Dali had never had a son, and his only nephew had become the one he relied on.

The boy had also been naturally bright, with a particular gift for medicine.

Who could have known that, one night while inspecting the medicines, he would accidentally discover Liu Bo stealing a medicinal formula?

Afraid of being exposed, Liu Bo had killed him outright to silence him.

Afterward, Wang Dali had spared no expense hiring Bounty Hunters to capture Liu Bo.

Unfortunately, Liu Bo was highly skilled in martial arts and exceedingly cunning.

Many seasoned hands had come to grief at his hands.

The steward tried to comfort him. "Master, please don't grieve any longer. The people from the Wang Family Manor will arrive tomorrow.

"With them here, we'll surely capture that scoundrel Liu Bo alive."

Wang Dali sighed deeply. "Let's hope so."