Chapter 2

The Night Traveler

On a snowy night, when all life seemed withered and desolate, the mountain inn had barely any guests. The innkeeper was about to close up and rest when a woman walked in.

The woman was wrapped tightly in an obviously ill-fitting cloak, her entire body covered from head to toe. She tossed two silver coins onto the counter.

“Innkeeper, prepare a room for me, clean clothes, and some medicine for wounds.”

The innkeeper accepted the coins, then glanced at Nan Yi with some curiosity before asking, “Miss, did you encounter Qi soldiers?”

Nan Yi looked up in surprise. “How did you know?”

“You haven’t heard yet? Li Du Prefecture surrendered without a fight. The prefect opened the city gates and let the Qi soldiers in. There are even Qi soldiers up on Hu Gui Mountain now. Who knows what they’re up to? It’s got everyone on edge. You should be extra careful these days—stay indoors if you can.”

Nan Yi nodded, still shaken, and turned to head upstairs.

The innkeeper sighed. “The world is getting more and more chaotic.”

No matter how turbulent it was outside, at least tonight Nan Yi could finally take a hot bath and tend to her wounds.

After washing away all traces of her disheveled state, she sprawled across the soft, warm bed, limbs stretched wide like a large “大” character, greedily occupying every inch of the mattress.

It was the first time in months that she had stayed at an inn, and the blissful comfort of it was beyond words. The last traces of guilt and fear over stealing someone else’s pouch were completely overwhelmed by the overwhelming satisfaction of the moment.

She thought to herself, with a pang of relief, It’s just a pouch. That gentleman looked like someone with plenty of wealth—surely he won’t care if it’s lost.

Thanks to that gentleman, she now had a temporary refuge. This inn room felt like a dream come true for her. She had always yearned for a roof that could shield her from the wind and rain, so she wouldn’t have to keep wandering. Sitting by the light of the candle, Nan Yi examined the jade bracelet on her wrist. She was convinced that as long as she found Zhang Yuehui, she could have the life she longed for.

In a chaotic world with no home or family to turn to, this was the only thing she could hold onto.

Nan Yi pulled the blanket over herself and lay down to sleep. Tonight, she thought, she might finally have a good dream.

In the early hours before dawn, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, an urgent knocking came from outside the inn.

The innkeeper, still drowsy, threw on some clothes and went to answer the door. Standing outside was a young man of noble bearing, snow dusting his shoulders, his expression cold as frost.

“Have you seen a girl? She’s short, wearing an ill-fitting cloak, and has injuries.”

The innkeeper froze, clearly recalling such a girl who had indeed seemed a little peculiar. He hesitated, unsure whether to tell this gentleman.

Raising the oil lamp in his hand to get a better look, the innkeeper noticed that behind the young man stood a Qi soldier, evidently one of his subordinates.

A strange combination—a man from Zhongyuan leading a Qi soldier—instantly struck the innkeeper as someone not to be trifled with.

“Sir… please follow me.”

Not wanting to cause any trouble or risk a full search, the innkeeper turned and led Xie Queshan upstairs, unlocking the door to Nan Yi’s room.

But the room was empty.

Xie Queshan lifted the blanket and felt it. The bed was still warm; the person had only just left. He turned to He Ping, who stood behind him, and issued an order.

“Immediately return to the camp and deploy troops for a search. Find her at all costs.”

He Ping hesitated for a moment. He hadn’t expected a mere thief to warrant such a large deployment, but his master was always calculating in his decisions. The pouch must have contained something crucial, something that could not be delayed.

“Yes!” He Ping replied, rushing out of the inn at once.

Nan Yi had fled the room in a panic, jumping out of the window into the backyard to find a hiding spot, inwardly cursing her luck. It’s just a pouch! Did he really need to come looking for me before the sun’s even up?

Fortunately, she had spent much of her life braving the elements and was always on high alert. The moment she heard movement outside, she woke up, peered through the crack in the door, and saw the same gentleman from the boat. Realizing why he was here, she immediately jumped out the window, narrowly escaping.

But why was there a Qi soldier following that gentleman? He was clearly a Zhongyuan native… Who could he be? Why was he so intent on retrieving the pouch? Could it contain something important?

This thought flickered briefly in her mind before she spotted a well in the courtyard with its cover slightly ajar. Without hesitation, she climbed down the rope into the well to hide.

The well turned out to be dry, and the bottom was shallow. Nan Yi let go of the rope and jumped down. Just as she was about to explore the depths of the dried-up well, she suddenly felt the icy blade of a knife press against her neck.

Her body froze, and she stopped all movement.

“Don’t make a sound,” a man’s voice warned.

At the bottom of the well, there was a subterranean riverbed, now dried up, exposing a smooth, polished surface. Along the rocky walls of the riverbed, a dim candle flickered weakly.

Nan Yi turned her face slightly, careful not to press against the blade. In the faint light of the candle, she finally saw the man who had appeared in the well.

A large wound stretched across his chest, hastily bandaged but still seeping blood. He was clearly seriously injured. His pale complexion matched the trembling hand gripping the dagger.

“Someone’s after me,” Nan Yi whispered. “I just want to hide for a while… Please, sir, let me stay here for a moment.”

The man, Pang Yu, looked her up and down. Such a young girl didn’t seem particularly suspicious, and after a moment, he lowered his dagger.

“Who’s after you?”

Nan Yi hesitated, deciding there was no need to reveal the whole story to a stranger. Remembering the Qi soldier following the gentleman upstairs, she focused on that detail: “Qi soldiers.”

Unexpectedly, at the mention of the Qi soldiers, Pang Yu immediately grew tense. He used what strength he had left to climb up to the edge of the well and take a look outside.

The courtyard of the inn was already ablaze with light, and Qi soldiers were quickly surrounding the area. At the center of the Qi soldiers stood none other than Xie Queshan.

Pang Yu climbed back down, his expression turning grave as he looked at Nan Yi. His tone grew sharp. “You’ve provoked Xie Queshan? Who are you?”

Nan Yi was completely confused. “Who’s Xie Queshan?”

“The Zhongyuan man among the Qi soldiers!”

Nan Yi recalled how, at the riverside, when she had surfaced from the water, the Qi soldiers had scattered in panic. At the time, she’d thought it was because the gentleman had some skill in martial arts and had scared them off. But now a wild, absurd suspicion began to form in her mind.

“Why can he command Qi soldiers?” she asked.

“You truly don’t know who Xie Queshan is?” Pang Yu asked, incredulous.

Nan Yi shook her head honestly.

“Then do you know about the Jingchun Rebellion?”

“I’ve heard of it. In the 22nd year of Yongkang, on the day of the spring equinox, a traitorous general defected, allowing the Qi army to capture Youdu Prefecture with ease—” Nan Yi paused as the realization hit her. “It couldn’t be…”

Pang Yu’s face darkened, a flicker of hatred crossing his eyes, though his tone remained restrained by his innate composure. “Yes. Xie Queshan was originally a court official of the Yu Dynasty, but he betrayed his country and defected to the Qi. His treachery led to the fall of Youdu Prefecture and Zhao Xu Pass. The court was forced to humiliate itself, ceding territory and paying heavy tribute to buy a few years of peace. Now he’s a trusted confidant of Han Xianwang, the Prime Minister of Qi, and works tirelessly for them. His presence here is to hunt down Prince Ling’an.”

Nan Yi froze in disbelief—how many of his own people must someone betray to rise to such a position among the Qi? With all his cruel methods for dealing with his own countrymen, falling into his hands would undoubtedly lead to a gruesome fate.

As soon as she thought of this, Nan Yi’s face turned pale.

“How exactly did you provoke him?!” Pang Yu questioned Nan Yi sternly again. “If you don’t tell me, we’ll both die here—and not just die, but be left without even our bodies intact.”

Nan Yi dared not lie anymore and confessed honestly, “I stole his purse.”

Pang Yu was stunned. “Just a mere purse? That’s not enough to—let me see the purse.”

Nan Yi handed the purse over. Pang Yu quickly opened it. Inside, as expected, there wasn’t just a few silver ingots but also a small scroll of silk. The silk scroll was inconspicuous, about the length of a finger joint, but when unfolded, it was as wide as a hand span.

Pang Yu glanced at the writing on the silk scroll, and his expression changed drastically. Seeing this, Nan Yi leaned closer to look as well. The characters were neat and orderly, but she couldn’t understand a single one. Before she could study it further, Pang Yu immediately rolled the silk scroll back into his palm, his expression becoming increasingly strange.

Nan Yi instinctively felt that the contents of the purse were highly significant and became wary. “Who exactly are you? Why are you hiding here with injuries? Don’t tell me you’re also hiding from the Qi soldiers? If I just return this purse to that Xie Queshan, maybe I can get out of this alive. Don’t drag me into this.”

“Xie Queshan is ruthless and vindictive. Do you think he would show mercy to a petty thief?”

Nan Yi couldn’t argue. She recalled how she had begged Xie Queshan to save her at the dock, only to see no trace of sympathy on his face. She knew what this man was saying was true.

“Come with me,” Pang Yu said.

He put on his cloak and, without waiting for a response, began walking deeper along the riverbed.

“Where are we going?”

“Follow me if you want to live.”

As he spoke, Pang Yu suddenly stopped. He hunched over, clutching his chest. It seemed that his wound had reopened, and the twisted expression on his face revealed the immense pain he was enduring.

At this point, Nan Yi’s temper flared, and she refused to move. “You’re barely keeping yourself alive—why should I trust you?”

Pang Yu turned back and gave Nan Yi a long, deep look. “Judging by your accent, you’re from Lujiang, aren’t you? Why are you here in Lidu Prefecture?”

“I’m heading to the front lines in Fufeng County to find a friend of mine. I haven’t seen him in three years.”

“My name is Pang Yu. I work for the Dianqian Commandery. Not long ago, we passed through Fufeng County. I might have seen your friend.”

“Really?” Nan Yi’s face lit up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “He’s tall—he must be darker-skinned by now after all these years. Oh, and he has a scar on the webbing of his hand...”

As she spoke, Nan Yi suddenly realized something and promptly shut her mouth.

“Ah...well, there are so many soldiers. I suppose you wouldn’t remember. Sorry.”

Pang Yu gave her an apologetic smile.

Nan Yi suddenly pieced something together and asked in surprise, “You’re with the Dianqian Commandery? Then you’re...”

Pang Yu didn’t deny it and continued walking ahead. This time, Nan Yi followed, her face clouded with thought.

During her travels, Nan Yi had heard countless rumors about the new emperor.

Months ago, Bianjing had fallen. The emperor and the imperial clan were captured, and the court fled south to Jinling to establish a new regime. However, without a sovereign, the country was leaderless.

Among the emperor’s sons, only Prince Ling’an, Xu Zhou, had escaped by residing in his fiefdom, making him the last scion of the Yu royal lineage.

The Chancellor, Shen Zhizhong, had arranged for soldiers and secret agents to escort Xu Zhou south, but the Qi wouldn’t miss the opportunity to eradicate the Yu imperial family. They relentlessly pursued him, setting up an inescapable net to capture the Prince Ling’an.

Until now, these events had only been stories to Nan Yi. She hadn’t expected to be so close to the heart of it all.

Pang Yu turned back to glance at Nan Yi. “You’re right. Prince Ling’an is currently hiding in Tiger Kneeling Mountain. That’s why the Qi soldiers have been scouring the mountains for days. The families in Lidu Prefecture received secret instructions from the Chancellor to assist the Prince Ling’an. I was responsible for delivering the plans for their rendezvous. I was injured because I was leading the Qi soldiers on a diversion.”

“What exactly is written on that silk scroll? Why did your expression change so drastically?” Nan Yi asked curiously, but Pang Yu ignored her, continuing to walk forward without a word.

Drip, drip. Water seeped from the cracks in the rocks, its unhurried drops echoing through the narrow passage, amplifying the surrounding silence.

The Qi soldiers had already surrounded the small mountain inn, leaving no way in or out. Xie Queshan stood in the rear courtyard, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the space.

He was interrupted by He Ping, who came to report, “Young Master, we’ve searched inside and out several times but couldn’t find the thief.”

A burly Qi commander entered from outside, his demeanor brimming with aggression. Brushing snow off his shoulders, he looked at Xie Queshan and asked, “Young Master Que, what exactly was stolen to warrant such a grand mobilization?”

Xie Queshan glanced at Hu Sha with a faint look and replied, “It was a secret intelligence report from Lidu Prefecture, detailing the plan to rendezvous with Prince Ling’an. A petty thief stole it.”

Hu Sha instantly grew alarmed, his voice rising as he barked at the surrounding Qi soldiers, “So many of you, and you can’t even catch a thief? Did they vanish into thin air?”

Xie Queshan said nothing but seemed to be triggered by the phrase “vanish into thin air.” His gaze shifted toward the unassuming well in the courtyard.

Pang Yu’s grip on the silk scroll tightened. It contained the details of their rendezvous plan.

It was likely that a traitor in Lidu Prefecture had leaked the plan, and Xie Queshan was using it to set a trap for Prince Ling’an.

Fortunately, Pang Yu had stumbled upon the scroll in time. He had to deliver this information; otherwise, Prince Ling’an would become prey in the Qi soldiers’ trap.

But the stakes were immense, and the fewer people who knew, the better. Revealing his identity to this girl had been to gain her trust, but he had no intention of telling her more.

“Knowing too much could cost you your life. It’s best you don’t ask further,” he said.

“Then why are you taking me with you?” Nan Yi asked.

“My body may not hold out for much longer. If I die along the way, take this silk scroll to the ruined Daoist temple beneath Eagle’s Beak Cliff. There’s an ancient tree in the courtyard. Bury the scroll in the soil beneath it.”

Pang Yu’s tone was calm, but it made Nan Yi feel a chill run down her spine. How could someone speak of death so casually?

“Why do you think I could manage it? If the Qi soldiers capture me, not even torture will be necessary. After a few lashes, I’ll confess everything,” she said.

“The life and death of a dynasty may seem to depend on one person, but in reality, it is the collective effort of thousands behind it. Do you think what connects the hearts of these thousands of people is...”

“Divine protection from the Buddha?” Nan Yi interrupted.

Pang Yu finally smiled slightly, shaking his head. “No, it’s loyalty to the country. You and I are fellow countrymen, born and raised on this land, so I trust you.”

As they spoke, the two were almost at their destination. The exit was a hidden cave, and Nan Yi could faintly see a glimmer of light. Her steps quickened in response.

She emerged from the cave ahead of Pang Yu, but as soon as she saw the scene before her, she froze in her tracks.

The Qi soldiers had surrounded the entrance of the cave. Xie Queshan was sitting on a piece of dead wood, looking at Nan Yi with no surprise. His gaze then shifted to Pang Yu, who had just emerged behind her.

He simply stared, but the pressure was immense. His pupils were pitch black, hiding an unspoken killing intent, giving the eerie impression that in those eyes, nothing in the world could escape, as if everything would be laid bare before him.