"Here, here."
A figure crouching in front of a jewelry stall on the street corner shifted slightly, signaling Ding Songyan with a subtle wave.
Ding Songyan paused, skirted around a wooden railing, and wandered past several stalls before finally crouching down beside the figure, pretending to help his sister pick out a silver hairpin or wooden comb.
He cast a glance from the corner of his eye and, for a moment, could hardly recognize that the person beside him was Xiaoqing.
She wore a simple cloth dress and a plain wooden hairpin, her hair styled in a matronly bun. Her features were unremarkable, as if she were someone you could see anywhere.
"Miss Xiaoqing?" Ding Songyan picked up a silver hairpin, examining it repeatedly while lowering his voice to test the waters.
"Disguise art," Xiaoqing replied in a light, airy tone, her voice equally inaudible to others.
*Is the disguise art in this world really this formidable? I truly want to learn it...* Ding Songyan felt a surge of emotion.
Xiaoqing continued to act as if she were shopping. Taking advantage of the stall owner attending to other potential customers, she whispered:
"I have followed you for quite some time, but I haven't seen the pursuer you mentioned."
"He is already dead," Ding Songyan informed her of the latest development.
"Uh..." Xiaoqing’s eyes darted, a faint glint appearing in them. "This matter is quite, quite complicated."
She then added:
"I only discovered that the Zhen Mansion’s Mr. Yu has been watching you from the shadows."
*Mr. Yu, your tracking skills are really not up to par. Ren Youyang’s guards found you, and Miss Xiaoqing found you too...* Though filled with anxiety, Ding Songyan couldn't help but inwardly complain.
Xiaoqing put down the silver hairpin with the coarse beadwork and spoke with a slightly more serious tone:
"When you went to the Linjiang County Magistrate’s office, Old Master Zhen was in a private room at a nearby tavern.
"After you came out, he left without lingering, and the person tracking you was replaced by another retainer from the Zhen Mansion."
*Old Master Zhen was nearby when I tried to report to the magistrate?* Ding Songyan was startled.
He immediately formed a hypothesis:
"Old Master Zhen wasn't sure if Yan Changqing could make me 'forget' about reporting the incident, so he came in person, prepared to intervene—which shows how much he values this.
"Once he was certain that Yan Changqing had tampered with me, he stopped worrying and left.
"Hmm, if Yan Changqing didn't lie about being imprisoned, his martial arts and physical capabilities were likely crippled long ago. He could only influence things through his spirit, mind, or soul. This is a situation Old Master Zhen couldn't fully grasp, so he could only guess, not judge for certain.
"Yan Changqing endured for so many years, only to expose his hidden hand to Old Master Zhen like this?
"He must have another ace up his sleeve...
"If I were Old Master Zhen, I should be able to think of this too...
"I hate this kind of mental deduction..."
While thinking, Ding Songyan did not forget to thank his helper:
"Miss Xiaoqing, your great kindness is something I will never forget."
*If it really comes to it, I can even serve you like a beast of burden, as long as you take our family away from Dingjiang Prefecture.*
Xiaoqing chuckled softly:
"Forget about 'never forgetting.' If you really want to repay me, hurry up and relearn your characters, and practice more when you have the time. I get a headache every night reading the stories you write in shorthand, and I’ve been too embarrassed to tell you!
"Act as if nothing is wrong for now; I will continue to keep watch for you."
She picked out a wooden hairpin, took out her purse, paid the copper coins, and left the jewelry stall, once again blending into the bustling crowd.
*She plays the part well. I was truly afraid she would just slap a silver ingot down for the stall owner...* Ding Songyan spent two *qian* of silver to buy a daily-use silver hairpin that lacked beadwork but was finely crafted. He planned to give it to his sister that night as a return gift for the fifty *wen* she had given him earlier.
It wasn't that he didn't understand frugality; rather, he felt that trapped in a crisis-ridden situation, one should spend money when necessary. Don't wait until you're dead to find you still have a pile of money that doesn't even end up in your family's hands.
Besides, with Miss Xiaoqing’s tip and Xu Chang'an’s gift, his purse was currently quite full.
After leaving the jewelry stall, Ding Songyan used the information Xiaoqing provided to clarify a few things.
He planned to find an opportunity to test the "Qi" given by Yan Changqing to confirm exactly what level of "harm" and "life-saving" it could achieve. He couldn't treat it as too precious and be unwilling to use it; otherwise, if he reached a critical moment and found the effect was less than expected, he would be doomed.
Understanding the situation was a necessary step in formulating a plan.
Moreover, this could help Ding Songyan verify two things:
First, as the "Qi" was consumed, whether the degree and efficiency of the "seed" in his mind erasing key thoughts would decrease;
Second, whether Yan Changqing still had the ability to replenish the "Qi" for him, which would allow him to spy on his hidden agenda.
Additionally, in Ding Songyan’s view, the Zhen Mansion was an enemy, and Yan Changqing was no different. The more he could squeeze out of him, the more he could gain for himself, and the greater his hope of survival would be.
Beyond testing the "Qi," Ding Songyan had other things to do.
Returning to Chengyu Lane, he didn't go home but instead knocked on Xu Chang'an’s door.
When Xu Chang'an saw it was "Second Brother Ding" looking for him, he smiled with pleasant surprise:
"I went to several martial arts schools today. Would you like to hear what I found, Second Brother Ding?"
Ding Songyan didn't answer. He pulled Xu Chang'an to the side of the well and asked thoughtfully:
"Do you know if the Small Boat Gang still has any hidden agents in the city?"
A few days had passed, and the Small Boat Gang’s overt influence had been uprooted by the Four Waters Gang.
"I don't know." Xu Chang'an shook his head blankly. "Second Brother Ding, why do you ask? If the Four Waters Gang couldn't find them, how would I know?"
"Then are there any factions or people who were once very close to the Small Boat Gang and still exist today?" Ding Songyan asked further.
As a thief and a member of the lowest rungs of the martial world, Xu Chang'an did know some news:
"Master Liu of the Shichi Martial Arts School. Chen Yuliang was killed by Mr. Yu at their place."
Ding Songyan nodded in satisfaction, gave a simple word of thanks, and turned to leave Chengyu Lane.
"Second Brother Ding, where are you going?" Xu Chang'an chased after him, asking curiously.
Ding Songyan glanced at him:
"To visit Master Liu of the Shichi Martial Arts School, to see if I can make contact with the Small Boat Gang."
"You, you aren't you a person of the Zhen Mansion?" Xu Chang'an was horrified.
Ding Songyan chuckled:
"For a few years in the past, I firmly believed in one saying:
"There are no eternal friends, and no eternal enemies, only eternal interests."
Xu Chang'an chewed on this sentence, feeling it made quite a bit of sense. He remarked casually:
"You believed in it before... so you don't anymore?"
"Later? When you have seen enough, you will realize that this doesn't encompass all people and all things." Ding Songyan looked ahead, his smile fading.
Xu Chang'an turned worried:
"Aren't, aren't you afraid that the Zhen Mansion will act against you?"
*He actually wants to turn enemies into friends with the Small Boat Gang!*
"If you don't say it, I don't say it, and the Small Boat Gang doesn't say it, who would know?" Ding Songyan, of course, wouldn't tell Xu Chang'an that a Zhen Mansion retainer was following behind them.
One of his goals was to test if he had a "get-out-of-jail-free card," the kind with a limited time and range.
Hearing Ding Songyan’s retort, Xu Chang'an lost his smile entirely, his face turning pale and serious.
He still accompanied Ding Songyan, pointing out the way to the Shichi Martial Arts School.
Under the overcast sky, they skirted around Dangkang Temple and arrived at the main gate of the Shichi Martial Arts School. Ding Songyan turned his head and smiled at Xu Chang'an:
"You don't have to force yourself to come in with me."
"Second Brother Ding, you risked your life to accompany me to the mass grave to find my master, so how could I, how could I abandon you today?" Xu Chang'an replied, his voice tight.
*You kid really have the spirit of a great thief... I underestimated you before...* Ding Songyan felt a slight surprise.
He smiled at Xu Chang'an:
"Good. A debt of gratitude must be repaid. It was not in vain that I saw the potential in you to become a great thief one day.
"However, I have other things for you to do later, so don't go in. If you really die in there, who would I find to help me?"
What he feared wasn't that the Shichi Martial Arts School would harm Xu Chang'an, but the Zhen family.
If his hypothesis was correct, as long as he didn't report to the magistrate or test their bottom line, the Zhen Mansion would turn a blind eye to whatever he did. But Xu Chang'an didn't have that importance. What if the Zhen Mansion wanted to kill a chicken to warn the monkey—himself—and chose him?
Xu Chang'an’s legs were already trembling with fear. Seeing that Ding Songyan’s words made sense, he took the opportunity to step down, and after repeated promises, headed toward Dangkang Temple, intending to wait for Second Brother Ding there.
Ding Songyan looked up at the plaque inscribed with the words "Shichi Martial Arts School," and various scenes and images flashed through his mind.
He flicked his lapels back, placed his left hand behind his back, and walked in slowly.
In the open courtyard of the martial arts school, many disciples in tight-fitting outfits were either striking wooden dummies, practicing with stone locks, or sparring in twos and threes.
Seeing a visitor, one of the disciples approached Ding Songyan.
Before he could ask, Ding Songyan scanned the area and said with a smile:
"I am Ding Songyan of the Zhen Mansion, here to pay a visit to Master Liu."
Before his words had even faded, the gaze of the disciple who had approached him froze.
In the courtyard, those striking wooden dummies stopped their movements; those practicing with stone locks froze in place; those sparring were caught mid-motion, stuck where they were.
Everything seemed to turn into a still painting.
The hot summer wind blew with a distinct dampness, and dark clouds gathered high above, as if a rainstorm were imminent.
After a moment, the disciple who had approached Ding Songyan stammered:
"I, I will go report to my master. Please, please wait a moment."
Ding Songyan nodded gently and stood at the entrance with one hand behind his back, smiling as he observed the disciples in the courtyard.
Those disciples retreated one after another, none daring to meet his eyes.
After about the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, the disciple who had gone to report emerged from the front hall with a young man and walked toward Ding Songyan.
The young man was roughly eight feet tall, with dark skin and a sturdy build. His face looked old at first glance, and only upon closer inspection could one find a hint of youth. He didn't look like a martial artist at all, but rather like a rural farmer.
"Senior Brother Yang, it is him." The disciple who had gone to report pointed at Ding Songyan, his voice trembling slightly.
"Isn't this Ding Erlang, the storyteller from outside Dangkang Temple? How did you join the Zhen Mansion?" Senior Brother Yang scrutinized Ding Songyan, his tone calm and his posture steady.
Ding Songyan smiled:
"I joined just yesterday."
Senior Brother Yang didn't ask further and gestured for him to follow:
"My master is waiting for you in the training arena."
Ding Songyan smiled slightly, maintaining his posture with one hand behind his back, and followed Senior Brother Yang through the halls and courtyards at a steady, unhurried pace.
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