Chapter 183: Dark Alley

Chapter 183: Dark Alley

Because of the doubts in his heart, Wen Ren Yue paid especially close attention to Zong Yao along the way.

When the magistrate of Mixi County heard from the city guards that the Prefect had personally arrived in Mixi, the souls he had just barely recovered nearly flew out of him again. He hurried to the parade ground entrance to receive him, and happened to run into Zong Yao's party.

Between the rough ride and the scare, Zong Yao was already as pale as death.

Fortunately, County Magistrate Bao Yihui had also been thoroughly shaken, and his complexion was little better than Zong Yao's.

The two ashen-faced scholars went to the county office, sat down across from each other, and after a few cups of hot tea, Zong Yao's finer qualities began to shine through:

"County Magistrate Bao must have been alarmed. As for last night's affair, the Prefect is fully aware. The Japanese pirates ran rampant, yet were turned back at Mixi—this shows that County Magistrate Bao has his county well in hand. Had it been anyone else, the common folk might not have been spared."

Zong Yao's manner was refined, his responses proper, and he struck just the right tone. He inquired about the extent of losses to the townspeople's lives and property, then briefly conveyed Le Wuya's intentions.

Though much of what he said was polite platitudes, it had a strange way of putting people at ease.

The more County Magistrate Bao listened, the more settled he became. Knowing he wouldn't lose his job for letting the pirates into the city, he sought to add another layer of security. After finishing the official business, as was the custom among civil officials, he started trying to establish a connection with Zong Yao: "May I ask which year the Assistant Prefect passed the metropolitan examination?"

Zong Yao replied: "The seventeenth year of the Tianding reign."

County Magistrate Bao's eyes brightened, then dimmed again. He clasped his hands and bowed, saying: "This humble official passed in the eighteenth year of Tianding, so with you, sir... um..."

Seeing County Magistrate Bao hesitate, Zong Yao paused for a brief moment, then took the initiative to finish the sentence: "Then we're fellow students under the same master."

Seeing that he did not avoid the topic, County Magistrate Bao immediately wore a look of immense relief, as if a weight had been lifted, and nodded happily: "Indeed, indeed."

Wen Ren Yue listened from the side, feeling a heavy weight settle in his heart.

The more he saw of the world, the more he realized what a terrible identity he had given Le Wuya.

He was an official who'd bought his way in, having gone the unorthodox route—he couldn't hold his own anywhere.

Brother Gu could never, like these two men, sit around drinking tea, discussing his family pedigree and who his master was.

As he was lost in these melancholy thoughts, he heard Zong Yao say: "Though Le Wuya is beyond redemption, guilty for all eternity, he was nevertheless a teacher to us both. We don't have to talk about it openly, but in private—"

County Magistrate Bao straightened his back and said solemnly: "The Assistant Prefect speaks truly."

Wen Ren Yue: "..."

Oh.

Then it was fine.

According to the common custom of Dayu, the chief examiner who presided over the metropolitan examination could be considered a teacher to that session's candidates.

These disciples owed the chief examiner the rites of a master—visiting to offer congratulations during festivals, attending to him diligently in daily encounters, treating him with proper courtesy. To do otherwise would be to defy heaven itself, a grave offense against the cardinal virtues.

By that reckoning, the seventeenth and eighteenth years of Tianding were indeed Le Wuya's most glorious, most triumphant years.

Given his infamous identity as a treacherous official, it was no wonder these two acted like they were spies exchanging code words when discussing their scholarly lineage.

County Magistrate Bao caught a glimpse of Wen Ren Yue out of the corner of his eye, standing to the side with a faint smile on his lips, and asked curiously: "And this gentleman is..."

Wen Ren Yue looked at Zong Yao.

Zong Yao introduced him: "This is the Prefect's close friend, currently serving in the prefectural office."

"Oh!" Upon hearing that he was a friend of Prefect Wenren, County Magistrate Bao's manner warmed considerably: "May I ask your esteemed surname? And what is your courtesy name?"

"My surname is Ming, courtesy name Shou Yue."

Seeing Wen Ren Yue's gentle, even-tempered demeanor, his responses neither servile nor arrogant, County Magistrate Bao naturally took him for a kindred spirit: "And who is your teacher?"

Wen Ren Yue could not tell the truth, so following Le Wuya's instructions, he answered: "Grand Secretary Xu."

The two men simultaneously stopped their movements and looked at Wen Ren Yue, their expressions gaining a measure of gravity and respect.

"Grand Secretary Xu..." County Magistrate Bao exclaimed. "Ah, no wonder—I was wondering why even Lord Zong's attendant possessed such extraordinary bearing. It turns out my eyes were at fault. Clearly, 'a great teacher produces great students' is a timeless truth."

Wen Ren Yue lowered his head and gave a humble, warm smile.

He vaguely guessed that Le Wuya's reason for having him accompany Zong Yao might not be merely to keep watch over Zong Yao's every move.

Leaving aside his elder brother and uncle—those two troublesome characters—the Zong family was still a prestigious family with generations of official service.

Le Wuya had brought him out of the small town in Yizhou, out into the wider world, and now was thrusting him out into the world, introducing him to his "own kind."

Having figured this out, Wen Ren Yue's thoughts began to drift instead.

...He desperately wanted to see Le Wuya.

At this very moment.

Even though they were in the same city, he missed him more than words could say.

Even so, he loyally followed Le Wuya's instructions, continuing to observe Zong Yao's conduct.

Zong Yao was indeed a proper gentleman.

Even the matter of Le Wuya killing someone was brushed off with a casual remark: "Bai Commander failed in his duties and has been executed."

Because of the connection they had established earlier, County Magistrate Bao didn't bat an eye at this news, added a few disparaging words about Bai Commander, and agreed to send a letter to Governor Ling, stating that Ping Gen'er had been executed according to military law.

From this, it seemed that the connection Ping Gen'er had boasted of with Governor Ling didn't amount to anything.

Wen Ren Yue observed Zong Yao's words and deeds carefully, confirming that at least in this matter, he was on Le Wuya's side.

Of course, the possibility that Zong Yao was deliberately putting on a show for his benefit could not be ruled out either.

After cleaning up the mess for Le Wuya, Zong Yao and Wen Ren Yue prepared to take their leave.

County Magistrate Bao wanted to accompany them to pay respects to Le Wuya, but Zong Yao politely declined, instructing him to remain at the office to manage affairs and steady the people, and to send a detailed report of the incident to the prefectural office as soon as possible. They would then forward it to the capital, and perhaps secure some merit for him.

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Bao was elated and agreed to everything.

Wen Ren Yue led his horse, walking side by side with Zong Yao along the desolate main street of Mixi, escorted by yamen runners.

"I'm afraid I can't ride for now—my legs are killing me." Zong Yao held his hip, offering Wen Ren Yue an apologetic smile. "I'll have to trouble Shou Yue to walk with me."

Wen Ren Yue ventured cautiously: "Actually, we could invite County Magistrate Bao to go see Lord Wenren and report in person."

"Not appropriate." Zong Yao vetoed decisively. "The Prefect has just done such a thing... his person... is probably not quite clean, not suitable for receiving... um..."

At this point, Zong Yao seemed to recall the gruesome scene again. He turned aside, covered his chest, and dry-heaved once, then turned back and said with great composure: "Pardon me."

His conduct was so impeccably proper that it was almost endearing.

Wen Ren Yue sighed, "Assistant Prefect, your thorough handling of matters is truly something I can't match."

Zong Yao chuckled self-deprecatingly, "For someone in my position, I can't afford not to be thorough."

He left it at that, saying no more.

But Wen Ren Yue, knowing the hidden circumstances, immediately understood the implication.

Back then, Zong Yao had been weighed down by his father and elder brother, inevitably going through a rough patch of people pointing fingers and sneering behind his back.

So he had to be more diligent, more meticulous, and more proper than the average official, just to shake off that shadow and climb back up.

Wen Ren Yue felt no pity for his uncle and elder brother, who had it coming.

But Zong Yao had truly been dragged into a mess he didn't ask for, and ended up with a bad name for no good reason.

Le Wuya was his mentor, a man who had given him a second chance at life; his uncle and elder brother were his own flesh and blood.

For him, it was a disaster he never deserved.

Wen Ren Yue offered a roundabout consolation: "You've had it rough, sir."

Zong Yao was caught off guard, looking back at Wen Ren Yue as if confused by the unexpected sympathy, and could only manage a dazed smile.

Before he could say another word, a sudden commotion erupted.

—Two figures burst out from the side and, without a word, hacked down a guard standing beside Zong Yao!

Caught completely off guard, Zong Yao got splattered with blood over half his body.

The night before, two Japanese pirates had gotten separated from their main force and hadn't managed to escape the city.

Today, with the county gates sealed, they saw they couldn't blend in and sneak out. So they'd holed up in the maze of back alleys, managing to dodge the first city-wide sweep.

But rats in a gutter can't hide forever.

The moment Le Wuya arrived, he had the soldiers of Mixi County form squads of five and comb through every street and alley like a fine-toothed comb.

Realizing they were trapped with no way out, the two pirates, desperate and cornered, decided to go down fighting and take everyone with them.

Spotting a big-shot official walking down the street, flanked by guards and not riding fast, they swung their big knives—one chopped down the guard closest to Zong Yao, while the other, with clear intent, charged straight at Zong Yao!

A cold gleam flashed as the blade came down!

Zong Yao stood frozen, only managing to dodge to the side as the blade closed in—

But he wasn't fast enough.

He was holding his horse, with the reins wrapped around his wrist, and couldn't get free in time.

Luckily, the attacker was too worked up and his aim was a bit off, so the blade hit the reins instead.

Zong Yao was yanked away from his horse, stumbling and falling flat on the muddy ground.

The guards escorting him, who were pros at throwing their weight around with common folks, turned into a bunch of scared chickens at the first sign of real danger, scattering in panic without a second thought about fighting.

In an instant, the guards around Zong Yao fanned out and fled, leaving only Wen Ren Yue to shield him, blocking the second strike aimed at him with his sword!

With a sharp clang of metal, the attacker couldn't hold against Wen Ren Yue's strength, his hand going numb from the shock.

Wen Ren Yue's own situation was just as dangerous.

He'd blocked the blade with his sword, a desperate move, and the force of it had split his hand open, drawing blood.

But he didn't back off an inch. Drawing his sword fully, he held it crosswise in front of him and barked sternly, "Don't you dare panic! There's only two of them! If Lord Zong dies, not a single one of you will live!"

At that, sure enough, three or four guards hesitated and stopped in their tracks.

But the rest, scared stiff of the pirates' reputation, had already hightailed it out of there.

Wen Ren Yue was seething inside.

Just two lousy pirates!

If the soldiers of Tongzhou were all this spineless, how could they ever hold the line!

Both attackers were trained fighters, and Wen Ren Yue wasn't about to underestimate them. He parried one's strike and shouted, "Lord Zong, run!"

Zong Yao, obedient as could be, with the half-cut rein still wrapped around his wrist, dove into a nearby alley without a word.

The two pirates weren't stupid.

Judging by his clothes, Wen Ren Yue was just a commoner.

Even if he died a hundred times over, would he be worth as much as Zong Yao?

One pirate held Wen Ren Yue off, while the other, blade in hand, gave chase, vanishing into the alley after Zong Yao.

The guards standing there like statues finally snapped out of it, shouting wildly as they chased after.

...

The sky was dim, the last bit of daylight about to fade away.

Everything in the dark alley seemed wrapped in a blue-gray haze, hazy and indistinct.

The pirate chasing Zong Yao pressed forward with big strides.

Up ahead, Zong Yao stumbled along, his official robes getting in the way, fluttering at every turn and giving away his escape route again and again.

Zong Yao, after all, had a scholar's build, and the gap between him and the pirate was inevitably closing.

At another corner, the pirate sucked in a breath and lunged forward!

He was now just one step away from that fluttering robe!

One step away meant one strike away!

He raised his sword and brought it down in a wide arc!

But he hit nothing.

He only sliced through a soft outer robe.

The bulky official robe flew at him, covering his head and face, blinding him completely.

His foot caught on something, and he pitched forward, the sword flying out of his hand.

Before he could scramble back up, a searing, bone-deep pain hit him in the waist, again and again!

Zong Yao, with a cold, pale face and disheveled hair, raised the long hairpin from his hair and stabbed it into his own waist, pulled it out, and stabbed again!

His eyes held no emotion, no light—just two lusterless black obsidian stones.

As the Japanese pirate's breathing grew faint, Zong Yao climbed onto the man's back and, using the half length of horse rein, expertly looped it around his neck.

In the pitch-black alley, he twisted the rein with both hands, like a boatman cranking a winch to haul in a line, wrenching his neck back, listening to the soft crackle of vertebrae snapping one by one.

Zong Yao shut his dull, vacant eyes.

In the darkness, his voice could be heard murmuring, soft and wistful.

"Master... Master."

"Are you dead?"

"Are you still alive?"

Beneath his grim, relentless whisper, the pirate's last trace of breath faded into nothing in the dark alley.

Zong Yao braced himself against the wall and staggered to his feet, and as the yamen runners called out behind him, he hauled the body with effort to the small river in the town, tossing both the man and the blade into the still-flowing water.

Plunk.

In the darkness, the river swept the corpse downstream.

If all went well, by dawn, his body would be swept away by the dense network of waterways to some other place.

And even if something went wrong, it didn't matter.

He had killed a bandit who came to him—no matter how one spun it, it was still a clean kill with no blame attached.

Still, he was new in town, so best not to make a scene.

With that thought, Zong Yao bowed devoutly twice toward the murmuring stream, then slumped to the ground, lifting his head to gaze at the pitch-black, starless sky, his eyes just as dark and empty.

Come to think of it, if heaven had any will, why send a Wen Ren Yue who looked so much like Le Wuya to his side?

Could it be that heaven, too, felt his grievance?

Author's note:

Yaya isn't here, but Yaya is everywhere.