Chapter 108 Changping Arc (End)

Chapter 108: Changping Prefecture (End)

One month ago—

The day Yan Changsheng pushed open the study door, his foot, halfway through the door, suddenly stopped.

In the study, on the cracked elmwood chair behind the desk, sat a stranger he didn't recognize.

The man stood up from the chair, around thirty years old, dressed like a regular merchant. Seeing Yan Changsheng, he gave a bow, then said, "Lord Yan, a jinshi from the nineteenth year of Qisheng? As I recall, it was Vice Minister of Justice, Lord Liao, who oversaw the spring exams that year."

Xiao Liu, washing clothes, noticed the change in the courtyard. He shouted, "Chang Sheng!"

Yan Changsheng took a step forward, first saying to Xiao Liu, "Don't come over."

Then he entered the study and closed the door, bowing to the man in the chair: "May I ask which lord graces my humble home?"

His eyes were filled with undisguised vigilance. Seeing this, the man relaxed instead. "No need to be tense, my lord. I am a clerk for Lord Wang, the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. My lord sent me specifically to see you. This is his personal letter—please have a look."

In truth, Wang Zan had six trusted men like this. Before coming to Changping, he sent them all out ahead of him, so they reached Changping before he did. And sure enough, one of them found someone important.

When he found out Yan Changsheng had evidence, this man immediately sent a message back to Wang Zan. The reply had just four words: besiege a point to lure reinforcements.

Using part of your troops to surround an enemy stronghold makes it look like you're about to attack, drawing their whole army to rescue it, then you ambush them with your main force.

And Yan Changsheng was the bait to lure the enemy in. He… agreed to play along.

"Xiao Liu, I need to go to the countryside. Go to Little Six's place or Hutou's for a few days. They've got brothers and sisters, so you won't be bored stuck in the back courtyard by yourself."

"What fun is there hanging out with those little brats? Which village are you going to? I'll go with you."

"The place I'm going is far. You'll get tired following me."

"I don't care if I get tired. I want to go!"

"Didn't you always want to put your household registration under mine? If you wait obediently, I'll have Registrar Sun move it over when I get back."

"Really? Then I can be a Yan?"

"Yes… be a Yan."

—

It took more than ten days to see Censor Wang to the edge of Changping. After watching his own garrison soldiers see him off, Wu Yong finally let out a real sigh of relief. They'd ridden horses the whole trip; on the way back, since he wasn't in a rush, he had his men buy a carriage.

Inside the carriage, he opened the ledger he'd kept pressed to his chest the whole time. The first few pages looked fine. But halfway through the second half, something felt wrong.

"No… the ink on these pages is new. This ledger is a fake!"

Wu Yong broke out in a cold sweat. Though the autumn sun was warm and pleasant, a chill shot up his spine and spread through his whole body.

"Stop! Quickly, catch up to Wang Zan on horseback."

They turned the carriage around and, after a hard day's ride, caught up with Censor Wang's caravan.

Wu Yong made the driver stop and said coldly, "Censor Wang, you really live up to your reputation as a capital official—quite the trick. You almost had me fooled."

Wang Zan lifted the carriage curtain and said flatly, "I don't know what you're talking about, Lord Wu."

Wu Yong tore through his luggage but found nothing. His eyes red with desperation, he said, "At this point, Lord Wang need not play dumb. If I can't find that ledger, it's the same death sentence whether I kill one imperial official or two."

Wu Yong's crimes would get his whole family executed. One wrong move and he'd be in the abyss. By now, he was no different from a cornered outlaw.

When the blade was almost at his throat, Wang Zan's eyes narrowed. He had to speak. "Lord Wu, pressuring me won't help. The ledger really isn't with me."

In the distance, the carriages sent by the Anping prefect to pick him up came into view. Wu Yong lowered his knife, rage in his eyes. "Since that's the case, Lord Wang may stay well in Anping. When you pass through Changping again, I'll be sure to treat you properly."

He gritted his teeth, eyes blazing with murderous intent. Not wanting to run into the Anping prefect, he took his men back to Changping.

Along the way, Wu Yong went over everyone Censor Wang had met. He'd put all of them under watch. Who'd he missed?

—

While Prefect Wu was still sorting through his list, Song Tingzhou's carriage had already reached Fengtian Dock.

Third Master Zhu, showing off his money, had rented a whole big ship. Everything was already loaded, but Song Tingzhou still stood on the dock, staring into the distance, his heart sinking. The person he was waiting for didn't seem like he was coming.

Just as they were about to board, a flash of red appeared. Song Tingzhou hurried over.

Xiao Liu was dressed in red, but tied a white cloth band around his forehead, covering the bright red pregnancy mark between his brows—a discordant sight. He walked as lightly as a ghost, reaching Song Tingzhou in a few steps.

Song Tingzhou then noticed that Xiao Liu was clutching something wrapped in blue-black coarse cloth, about the size of a watermelon, held tightly to his chest.

Slowly, Xiao Liu withdrew one hand from the bundle and pulled a letter from his sleeve, handing it to Song Tingzhou. "This is Chang Sheng's letter to Meng Wan. It was the last thing he entrusted to me. I have done it."

His voice was flat, his face deathly pale, his eyes hollow and lifeless, as if all emotion had been drained away, leaving only a soulless shell.

With those words, he turned to leave. Meng Wan ran up from behind and called out, "Xiao Liu? What's happened to you?" Though he didn't know what had happened to Xiao Liu, Meng Wan instinctively felt something was wrong.

"Would you like to come to Shengjing with us?" he invited without thinking.

Xiao Liu tried to force a smile, but the corners of his mouth wouldn't lift. Tears fell uncontrollably, soaking the cloth bundle in his arms. The water dripping from the bundle was tinged crimson.

He said, "Chang Sheng is dead. I can't go anywhere."

Meng Wan's expression froze. He stood there, stunned and disbelieving. Song Tingzhou, on the other hand, closed his eyes, a wave of powerlessness washing over him.

It took a long while for Meng Wan to find his voice. Hoarsely, he called again to the departing Xiao Liu, "What are you going to… do?"

"Kill Wu Yong." There was not even hatred in Xiao Liu's eyes, as if he were merely completing a task.

Meng Wan stepped forward to stop him, but a transparent thread suddenly pressed against his neck—sharp as a blade. The wound that had long healed reopened into a thin red line. Meng Wan had no doubt that if he took another step, his head would be severed.

Song Tingzhou reacted swiftly, pulling Meng Wan back and shielding him. "He wanted you to live a safe life."

"Hmph. He wanted that?"

Tears continued to stream from Xiao Liu's eyes. "Why didn't he ask me what I wanted?"

The wind by the river was strong, blowing the white cloth behind his head. He spoke his final words to Meng Wan.

"I've read your books. Actually, my name is Cat. But I don't like that name. I like Xiao Liu.

He was handsome and kind. Whether human or demon, everyone liked him. I wanted to be like him too.

But I was born a piece of trash. The troupe head fished me out of some cesspool. I don't know where.

I went on stage at thirteen. My first performance was in Guqing County. The local country gentry was celebrating his sixtieth birthday. That old lecher insisted on taking me as his concubine. Growing up in the troupe, I had long been used to hearing filthy, sordid things. Of course I knew that concubines and servants weren't good words, but I was still naive."

That old man came to my room in the middle of the night. Just as he pulled down his pants, he couldn’t breathe anymore. The mistress dragged me to the riverbank to drown me, but Chang Sheng happened to pass by and saved me.

He had just taken office and insisted on reviewing the case to clear my name. I’ve been following him ever since, shamelessly, refusing to leave even when he tried to chase me away.

He had a page who had grown up with him since childhood. The two of us couldn’t stand each other, but I never expected that when Chang Sheng took him on a trip to Changping, he came back alone. The page… was raped to death by that bastard son of the Zhu family.

As the County Magistrate, Chang Sheng wanted to arrest that animal and bring him to justice, but instead, he was bullied and humiliated by the Zhu family.

Unable to avenge his page, he fell ill and took to his bed. Those days, the yamen was suffocating. I couldn’t stand to see him like that, so I went to Changping on my own.

The page died a miserable death, so that beast couldn’t be let off lightly either. Your book gave me the idea to scare him for half a month. If I hadn’t been spotted, I would have kept playing longer.”

Xiao Liu told his story in a cold tone. He glanced back at Meng Wan. “Actually, I wanted to thank you, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. If you’re still willing to help me, when you go back to Changping, give three hundred copper coins to a page boy named Xiao E.”

The thread was pulled back, and blood seeped from Meng Wan’s pale neck. Song Tingzhou quickly pressed a handkerchief over the wound. Meng Wan watched Xiao Liu’s resolute back, his heart feeling heavy and suffocated.

—In the end, they were just too weak. If I were an imperial merchant, or if Song Tingzhou had an official position, then a good official like Lord Yan wouldn’t have been killed.

After getting on the boat, Meng Wan opened the letter Yan Changsheng had left him. The seal had been broken, and the person hadn’t bothered to hide it.

“Although you’re a young man, I felt an instant connection with you. I lost my parents early and was raised on the charity of villagers. After becoming an official, I resolved to serve the people, only then could I be worthy of the title ‘official.’

I hope your future husband won’t be as constrained as I’ve been, that he may fulfill his ambitions and become a true official for the nation and its people, to establish a heart for heaven and earth, to secure a destiny for the people…”

Song Tingzhou also read these words. He hadn’t even started in officialdom yet, but he’d already seen its dark side. At this moment, he couldn’t help but feel lost. He murmured, “To secure a destiny for the people… What kind of official should I aspire to be?”

Meng Wan’s expression carried an indescribable sorrow. His voice trembled slightly. “Deep down, I want you to play it safe, but some paths have to be walked first before others follow. If we can do something for many people, I’d gladly die with you.” No matter what Song Tingzhou chose, he would support him.

Outside the cabin, the dark river sparkled. The fog in Song Tingzhou’s heart slowly lifted. He gently wrapped his arms around Meng Wan, his voice as solid as stone. “I won’t let you die.”

He admitted that he didn’t possess the same devotion to country and righteousness as Yan Changsheng. Song Tingzhou only wanted to help the people and bring peace while protecting his family.

If he didn’t want to repeat Yan Changsheng’s mistakes, he had to climb higher to avoid being constrained by others.

It took them a long time to calm down. Meng Wan continued reading the letter. Yan Changsheng had long anticipated he had no way out and wanted to entrust Xiao Liu to Meng Wan.

“Xiao Liu and I have no family in this world, like two drifting duckweeds without roots. Xiao Liu came from a poor background, and I was too busy with official duties to discipline him properly. After I die…”

But the ink after that was blurred by water stains, with a few drops of deep red printed on it.

Feeling the stinging pain on his neck, Meng Wan wondered: Did Yan Changsheng guess that Xiao Liu might seek revenge for him, which was why he sent him to deliver the letter? But could he have guessed that Xiao Liu would read the letter first?

Xiao Liu’s determination to die was too resolute. Any attempt to persuade him would make him want to kill you. He had already fallen into a demonic obsession, unable to extricate himself.

Meng Wan turned his stiff neck to look at Song Tingzhou. “Was it that day you came home late from Kongmo Bookshop? Is that thing in your hands now?”

Song Tingzhou’s eyelids slowly drooped. His heart felt as heavy as lead. He said in a deep voice, “Yes. Lord Yan said that in Guqing County, the number of people who died from illness and starvation has already reached thirteen or fourteen thousand. The other two counties have even more. If grain shipments continue to fail, the recaptured towns will all become ghost towns. He could hold out until Prefect Wu’s crimes were exposed, but the people could no longer hold on.”

Since Prefect Wu’s account book was stolen, he had deployed all his informants. Any sign of trouble would reach his ears.

Besieging a point to strike at reinforcements—Lord Yan and Lord Wang were merely bait, meant to tie up all of Wu Yong’s attention, making him mistakenly believe he had everything under control. By the time he realized the truth, it was too late.

—

Wu Yong led his troops straight toward Shengjing. He had clearly guessed something. Abandoning his post as a prefect was a serious crime, but he no longer cared.

The horses galloped swiftly, shaking the ground. Suddenly, the dozen or so leading horses let out loud, piercing whinnies—sharp and shrill, filled with terror and fury.

In an instant, the powerful hooves of over a dozen galloping horses were severed by invisible threads. Blood sprayed. Then the dozen or so soldiers on horseback fell one after another. Dozens more behind them couldn’t avoid the trap and were also caught.

Thousands of soldiers instantly went on alert. Wu Yong lifted the carriage curtain, and a thread swiftly coiled around his neck. But in the next moment, it was cut by a short dagger.

The thread snapped taut, slicing off half of Wu Yong’s ear. He clutched his ear and screamed, “Wu Jian!”

The short dagger met the red figure charging into the crowd. Xiao Liu’s threads were as hard as steel, capable of cutting off horses’ hooves, but this man’s dagger severed them with a single swing.

There wasn’t just one—Wu Yong was surrounded by three experts. The one with the short dagger was the most agile, while the other two stood on guard. He alone fought Xiao Liu.

Wu Jian handled him with ease. Despite a slight change in his own appearance, he clearly recognized Xiao Liu’s weapon. “It’s you? Last time, you stole something from me, and now you dare come again!”

Back in Changping, which was Wu Yong’s territory, the other two had been sent away, leaving only the swordsman. That was how Xiao Liu had found an opening. This time, Wu Yong left the city with a clear goal, and fearing assassination, he had summoned the other two experts back.

Xiao Liu’s face was expressionless. The dark blue long gown was firmly tied to his back. Ignoring the ever-increasing sword wounds on his body, he slowly closed in on Wu Yong.

“Stop wasting time! All of you, attack! Kill him now!”

Blood streamed from Wu Yong’s missing ear. The pain and Xiao Liu’s terrifying gaze made his voice urgent and fast.

The three struck together. Xiao Liu was never suited for a frontal confrontation. After just a few exchanges, the swordsman thrust a sword into his chest. He had no strength left to struggle.

He had lost. But unexpectedly, his usually cold expression suddenly calmed. With difficulty, he hugged the bundle on his back into his arms. Xiao Liu closed his eyes in peace.

“Changsheng bid farewell to Xiao Liu and embarked alone on