Horned Gentleman

Dong, dong, dong-

The distant morning bells carried through the misty curtain of rain.

Thin wisps of cooking smoke rose one after another from the Capital City's countless streets and alleys as the bells rang. To the north, the towering Imperial City opened its palace gates, and civil and military officials in robes of every color filed in through the Thousand-Pace Corridor.

Dongfang Liren stood behind a screen in a silver bellyband embroidered with a "fat-headed dragon," her arms spread as maids dressed her. Her gaze reached beyond the screen toward the palace at the edge of her view, where a sedan chair surrounded by a hundred attendants was making its way to the Supreme Polarity Hall.

"His Majesty rose a cup of tea later than usual today. Why?"

The White-Haired Old Woman stood behind her and answered respectfully:

"The empress dowager visited the Eternal Joy Palace last night and stayed in the bedchamber. She enjoys having someone to talk to. His Majesty may have stayed up too late chatting with her."

"His Majesty attends to ten thousand affairs a day and is already exhausted. How can he bear having the empress dowager keep him up with family chatter at night...?"

"Shall I arrange for the empress dowager to stay at your residence for a few days?"

Dongfang Liren considered briefly, then nodded her assent.

Once she was dressed in her python robe and jade belt, Dongfang Liren went to the study on the top floor and sat down. She opened the reports compiled by the Black Bureau and reviewed the news submitted from various regions:

"Several incense masters of the Red Flower House have gone out at the same time. They appear to be planning something major... What is the Red Flower House up to? Emptying their nest to wipe out the Watercloud Sword Pool?"

The White-Haired Old Woman pondered this. "Impossible. When the old Spear Chief was alive, the Red Flower House still had the strength to destroy the Watercloud Sword Pool. These days, they have to watch the Watercloud Sword Pool's face. I've heard their hall masters from different regions meet every year. Most likely, they're going to discuss the Red Flower House's future."

"The Red Flower House's holdings in the open are already considerable. They must have even more hidden in the shadows. They could be called the richest in the martial world. If they can no longer make their way there and wish to pledge allegiance to me, we can give them a chance."

"Yes."

Dongfang Liren turned her attention away from the Red Flower House and continued reading:

"A merchant caravan entered the pass from Liangzhou. 'Blood Bodhi' appears to be concealed among them... Who is Blood Bodhi?"

"An assassin who ran rampant through the martial world of Southern Heaven ten years ago. His life is steeped in blood debts. He once assassinated the governor of Chongzhou, then vanished after both the court and the martial world began hunting him."

A grave look entered the White-Haired Old Woman's eyes. "His martial abilities are unknown. He excels at mechanical devices, concealed weapons, stealth, and disguise, and his patience is extraordinary. To assassinate the leader of the Seven Profound Sect, he once lurked near their grounds for almost a year. He crossed paths with his target several times without acting, waiting until the man completely lowered his guard before killing him with a single strike and fleeing far away. Now that he has resurfaced, he may have been recruited by the Green Bandits."

Dongfang Liren's brows drew tightly together at this:

"If the Green Bandits are recruiting an assassin of that caliber, their target must be either a high-ranking court official or me. Have the Black Bureau watch anyone who has recently arrived from Liangzhou..."

At this point, Dongfang Liren suddenly remembered Ye Jingtang, who had just entered the Capital City from Liangzhou.

But Ye Jingtang was only eighteen. His age did not fit, and after thinking it over, she dismissed her suspicions.

After reviewing the information submitted by the Black Bureau, Dongfang Liren rose and went out onto the terrace to survey the surroundings inside and outside the Imperial City.

Before long, however, she spotted her eldest cousin, Wang Chihu, sneaking out of the Black Bureau with something in his arms.

Dongfang Liren frowned and asked:

"What is Wang Chihu planning to do now?"

"Ye Jingtang visited yesterday afternoon. He plans to catch Wingless Owl and asked the bureau to assist him. He borrowed something from Wang Chihu."

Dongfang Liren did not believe Ye Jingtang was capable of catching Wingless Owl. Naturally intrigued, she turned back and asked:

"What did he borrow? Soft-Bone Incense? Soul-Severing Needles?"

"Uh..."

The White-Haired Old Woman hesitated, but she could hardly deceive Prince Jing. After a moment's thought, she approached Dongfang Liren and whispered a few words.

Dongfang Liren listened quietly. A rare blush rose on her valiant features, and she frowned:

"Is there something wrong with him?"

"Ah, it's for official business. Your Highness shouldn't dwell on such minor details..."

The light rain of early summer fell into an old flagstone alley. A yellowed wine banner swayed silently beneath the eaves.

A spirited horse stood in the stable beside the tavern. Having just stopped after a run, it was still breathing heavily through its mouth and nostrils.

"Hrrf-hrrf-"

There were no other patrons in the tavern. Two low voices drifted from beside the window:

"Did you bring it?"

"I did."

"What is it?"

"A Horned Gentleman."

"A Horned... huh?"

Inside the tavern, Ye Jingtang sat at a table dressed as a wandering swordsman in a black robe and bamboo hat. He accepted the Purple Sandalwood Box Wang Chihu handed him, his expression peculiar.

Perhaps afraid of ruining his reputation, Wang Chihu was exceptionally alert. He blocked the proprietor's and waiter's view with his body and spoke quietly:

"This was carved from a single piece of jadeite. The raw material alone is worth at least a thousand taels, and it was made by a renowned craftsman of the previous dynasty. Those who used it were either princes' consorts or ladies with first-rank imperial titles. After Great Wei was founded, it changed hands several times before finding its way into the Ding'an Marquis Estate..."

Ye Jingtang stared at the exquisitely crafted Purple Sandalwood Box and simply could not bring himself to open it:

"Brother Wang, I asked you to help find something that couldn't be shown in polite company, but this is a little... too thorough. This item..."

Wang Chihu looked solemn. "We're working for the court. There's no need to dwell on these minor details. Can you think of anything less fit for polite company than this, Brother Ye?"

Ye Jingtang genuinely could not. He had thought borrowing a gold-thread bellyband from Prince Jing would be outrageous enough. Never had he imagined Wang Chihu could find something even more outrageous.

Still, this certainly did not look like bait the authorities would use. Word of it would sound scandalous, yet its value and provenance could attract burglars like Wingless Owl. It was a perfect fit.

After studying the wooden box for a moment, Ye Jingtang put it away:

"I'm truly sorry for the trouble, Brother Wang. I won't disappoint you. I'll catch Wingless Owl and bring him to justice."

"We're all working for the court. What's there to thank me for? I've already had our informants in the city spread rumors and fan the flames. Just go sell the stolen goods. Whether it works depends on your luck. I'll be off now. Farewell..."

Ye Jingtang watched Wang Chihu sneak away, then looked down at the Purple Sandalwood Box in his hands again. After much hesitation, he still did not open it. He wrapped it in black cloth and left the tavern.

A light rain was falling, and there were few people on the streets. Ye Jingtang circled around several times, making sure no one was following him, then entered a small alley.

Luo Ning and Zhe Yunli waited there with umbrellas, dressed as an ordinary mother and daughter.

Niao Niao stood watch atop the wall, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

When she saw Ye Jingtang return, Zhe Yunli hurried over and asked:

"What did the Black Bureau give you for bait?"

Ye Jingtang dismounted. Finding it difficult to say outright, he handed the black-cloth-wrapped Purple Sandalwood Box to Luo Ning:

"Something rather indecent. I haven't opened it. You'd better not open it either, Heroine Luo, or you might get angry."

?

Luo Ning took the box and weighed it in her hand-it did not feel like a "gold-thread bellyband."

"If you don't look at it, how are you going to sell it later?"

As she spoke, Luo Ning slid open the wooden box. Worried it might be a trick, however, she moved closer to Ye Jingtang so he could look with her.

Upon hearing "indecent," Zhe Yunli could not suppress her girlish curiosity and leaned in beside Luo Ning to look.

Swish-

The Purple Sandalwood Box slid open, revealing bright red fabric before the family of three.

Inside lay a translucent, emerald-green jade object. Its extraordinary craftsmanship and lustrous, smoothly rounded finish made its value apparent even to an untrained eye.

As for its shape...

Ye Jingtang blinked, unsure what to say.

Zhe Yunli froze, then leaned closer to examine it:

"Wow! What a huge... investment. This piece of jade must be worth a lot of money. Its shape is just a little strange..."

She reached out to touch it.

Snap-

The box slammed shut, almost catching Zhe Yunli's fingers.

"Master's wife, what are you doing?!"

Luo Ning's face flushed crimson, and she threw the wooden box straight at Ye Jingtang:

"You little scoundrel..."

Ye Jingtang had known she would react this way and caught the Purple Sandalwood Box steadily:

"This is public property for an investigation. Will you pay for it if you break it?"

Unaware of what the jade object was used for, Zhe Yunli asked like a curious child:

"Master's wife, why are you angry? What is that thing used for?... Ow!"

Luo Ning rapped her on the head.

Perhaps afraid Zhe Yunli would be led astray, Luo Ning suppressed her embarrassed anger and explained gently:

"It's something men use in brothels. It's filthy. Don't ask any more questions."

Zhe Yunli blinked her large eyes. "Such a big rod. Is it used to bully women? How would you use... sss-"

Like an innocent mother at the end of her patience with her curious daughter, Luo Ning could only resort to pinching her ear as she scolded:

"When I tell you not to ask, don't ask. Is it proper for a girl to ask about such things?"

Wincing in pain, Zhe Yunli quickly raised her hands. "All right, all right, I won't ask. I just wanted to help save Hero Qiu and offer some ideas... So are we going to the black market to sell the stolen goods now?"

With such an unclean object in hand, how could Luo Ning take Yunli along?

"Since we're trying to lure the snake out of its hole, three people together could easily rustle the grass and startle it. Your lightness skill is mediocre, so you wouldn't be any help. Go back and stay put!"

Zhe Yunli was clearly unwilling, but faced with her stern master's wife, she could say nothing. She could only sigh softly and leave, looking back three times with every step.

Ye Jingtang had been holding back his laughter the whole time. But as soon as Zhe Yunli left, Luo Ning's expression turned cold, and she glared at him:

"You're shameless!"

Ye Jingtang's smile froze. Bewildered, he asked:

"How am I shameless? The authorities gave me this thing. I told you not to look, but you insisted. Now that you've looked, you're calling me shameless. It's just a jade carving. Do you really need to react like this?"

As a grown woman, Luo Ning had heard about the uses of such objects from some women in the Sky-Pacifying Sect, even though she had never experienced intimacy herself.

Still, this was not Ye Jingtang's fault. After thinking it over, Luo Ning suppressed her embarrassment and anger and said in a low voice:

"How can the court be so shameless as to have you use this...?"

"As long as it works. If you were Wingless Owl and found out you'd stolen and sold something like this, becoming the laughingstock of the martial world, wouldn't you be angry?"

Luo Ning conceded the point and said no more. Then Ye Jingtang handed the box back to her, asking her to carry it.

"What are you doing?"

"Hold it!"

Ye Jingtang stuffed the Purple Sandalwood Box into the thoroughly disgusted Heroine Luo's hands:

"I'm the man, the head of the household. Would it look right for me to trail behind you carrying a box?"

"..."

Luo Ning secretly gritted her teeth, but in the end she took the box and held it in her arms.

Ye Jingtang placed Niao Niao on his shoulder and led the horse out of the alley:

"We'll disguise ourselves as a pair of burglars traveling the martial world together. From now on, I'll call you Ning'er, and you can call me..."

Walking behind him, Luo Ning said coldly:

"I'll call you 'Winged Owl.'"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Ye Jingtang turned to look at Heroine Luo, who was dressed as a young wife:

"How about 'husband'? A young married couple traveling together won't easily arouse suspicion."

Luo Ning was certainly unwilling, but apart from that, there was no other relationship that could explain why a lone man and woman were traveling the martial world together. She considered it and said:

"'Husband' and 'my lord' are too formal. People in the martial world don't usually address each other like that. Hmm... how about I call you Ye-lang?"

Ye-lang?

Ye Jingtang knew the story behind "Yelang's conceit," so naturally he shook his head:

"That doesn't sound very nice."

"Then Tang-lang?"

"Chirp?"

Niao Niao tilted its head and looked around, presumably wondering-where was the praying mantis?

Ye Jingtang suddenly felt that his Adoptive Father's naming skills had been rather unreliable. What was his future wife supposed to call him?

After a little thought, Ye Jingtang remembered the name "Third Madam" and simply said:

"Call me Silang. Hmm... my surname will be Huang. Huang Silang."

"Huang Silang..."

Luo Ning saw nothing wrong with it and said no more...