Chapter 36#
A Crescent Moon#
In the inn’s back courtyard, sunlight poured through the half-open window and washed the floor tiles the color of honey. Eight people sat crowded around a square table, every one of them with their eyes fixed on the map in the center, watching the small red point move rapidly across it.
A moment later, Qu Hanxing let out a cry:
“It’s stopped! It stopped!”
“West end of Jinshi Street!”
“Mm.” Xiao Man picked up his brush and marked the spot where the red point had halted.
He waited awhile; the point remained where it was. He said, half to himself: “It’s been still here for a long time, which suggests this is likely their base of operations.”
“Agreed.” Wei Chuyun nodded.
“Does anyone know this street? There has to be a reason they chose this location.” Xiao Man looked up. “We can’t move rashly. Before we go over there, we need to learn everything we can.”
Qu Hanxing and Mo Juntian both shook their heads. Qian San, Ma Wu, and Zhao Liu exchanged a glance; Zhao Liu said, with some uncertainty: “I think I’ve heard something about it… Apparently there’s a street in the capital where all the poor people live — beggars, women of pleasure, slaves, that sort. They say it even shelters fugitives. The street is full of wastewater, the houses are falling apart, and all manner of people are mixed together. Very disorderly. I think the street might be called Jinshi Street.”
“There’s a place like that in the capital?” Qu Hanxing was genuinely astonished. “I assumed everyone living in the imperial city — if not wealthy and learned, at least maintained some… dignity.”
“I’m not certain,” Zhao Liu admitted, scratching his head apologetically.
Mo Juntian and Qian San and Ma Wu also looked surprised. Wei Chuyun’s brow creased slightly. Xiao Man listened to the description without changing expression, examined the map once more carefully, and said: “It’s very plausible.”
Qu Hanxing immediately looked to him. “How so?”
Xiao Man extended a hand and indicated Jinshi Street on the map. “Look at its position. It sits at the outermost edge of the capital, far from the central districts, and does not border the main waterway — the only water source is this small drainage channel. Now look at where the channel originates…”
His pale fingers moved rapidly over a string of marked locations — all famous, prosperous areas of the capital.
“Many people live in these areas, which means large quantities of wastewater and refuse. This drainage channel is the obvious outlet for it.” Xiao Man continued: “And so the people who live beside that channel of foul water can only be those at the very bottom.”
“Mǎn-gē truly sees everything,” Qu Hanxing murmured, admiration rising in his eyes.
Mo Juntian thought it through and said: “If that’s the kind of street it is, we’ll need to disguise ourselves before going, or we’ll stand out.”
Qian San smiled. “I’m not sure a street like that suits Senior Brothers Xiao and Wei. Even in rags, the two of you are too conspicuous — the moment you appear, everyone will stare.”
“It won’t be a problem.” Xiao Man shook his head without hesitation. “I have a way to keep from drawing attention.”
He continued: “Besides, the map isn’t detailed enough to show individual buildings. What we know now is only approximate. That person is carrying a mark I left on them, so if I go myself, finding them will be easier.”
Wei Chuyun’s expression showed disagreement, but Xiao Man was already not looking at him. He moved the teacup in front of him aside, took a measuring cord from his Qiankun ring, and began measuring the lengths on the map for more precise calculation — speaking his thoughts as he worked: “The first visit should still be reconnaissance — we need to determine their numbers and cultivation levels. And if we can discover their plans, so much the better.”
“Agreed — we have to be careful about this. Their people aren’t of low cultivation, and in a direct confrontation we’d be at a disadvantage.” Qu Hanxing took a sip of tea, solidly in agreement.
“So how do we divide up? Reconnaissance isn’t a fight — we can’t send all eight of us.” Qian San said.
“Naturally,” Xiao Man said. “I suggest it be Qu Hanxing and me. First reason — I’ve already given it. Second reason — I think everyone here knows that Qu Hanxing is extremely fast and excels at evasion.”
Qu Hanxing’s eyes swiveled at those words. He set down his teacup and looked at Xiao Man. “Mǎn-gē, somehow that doesn’t sound much like a compliment.”
Xiao Man gave a faint, noncommittal smile.
“I’ll follow above you in the cloud skiff,” Wei Chuyun said from Xiao Man’s side, his voice low.
“Isn’t the cloud skiff a bit… conspicuous?” Qu Hanxing winced — he was recalling the day they had set out, when Wei Chuyun had produced a magnificent, intricately crafted “cloud vessel” without a word of warning and drawn the entire street out to gawk.
Xiao Man also felt this wouldn’t do and was about to say so, when Wei Chuyun said calmly: “The concealment array can be activated.”
“…” Xiao Man had not known there was such an array on the cloud skiff. Having heard it now, he could only agree.
“And the rest of us?” the others asked.
Xiao Man’s original plan had been for everyone not involved in the reconnaissance to wait at the inn, then make next moves once word came back — but now that Wei Chuyun mentioned the concealment array, other arrangements became possible.
He was still weighing whether to bring everyone aboard the cloud skiff when, across the table, Mo Juntian’s face changed.
“Senior Sister Qin is coming to find us!” Mo Juntian said, clearly unhappy about it. He opened his palm; a small magical device lay there, vibrating intensely. It had been set up precisely to warn them if Senior Sister Qin came looking while they were out.
Shi Tang stood up, looking pained. “Why now of all times?”
Qian San, Ma Wu, and Zhao Liu didn’t understand what was happening; Xiao Man didn’t explain. Unwilling as he was, he said to Wei Chuyun and Qu Hanxing: “Let us go and see what this is about,” brought Mo Juntian and Shi Tang along, and left.
In the west wing of the front courtyard, Senior Sister Qin had come looking for Xiao Man’s group and was standing at the door of the far room. Having knocked once without response, she frowned, raised her hand, and made to push the door open directly.
At that same moment, the three of them appeared behind the ornamental moon gate of the courtyard. Shi Tang glanced up, saw her, and immediately stepped through the gate with an artfully surprised expression. “Oh! Senior Sister Qin, were you looking for us?”
Senior Sister Qin turned around and looked them up and down, taking in their clothing. She gave a cold huff. “All three of you — out wandering the streets again?”
“We’ve never been to the capital before. We’re very curious about everything here.” Shi Tang lowered her eyes, her voice carrying a faint note of shyness.
“Once the festival is over, you can play as much as you like.” Senior Sister Qin walked into the courtyard. The three of them were wearing the talisman paper that clouded the mind; Senior Sister Qin had not the slightest suspicion about what Shi Tang said.
Shi Tang looked suitably coy: “We just wanted to see the festival celebrations.”
“That doesn’t mean you can be out all day.” Senior Sister Qin scolded her.
“Senior Sister Qin — was there something you needed?” Mo Juntian stepped forward and looked at her directly, asking in a mild voice.
“You and your interruptions — I nearly forgot the important matter.” Senior Sister Qin shot Shi Tang a look. “Our float from Yuntai Town has arrived. You haven’t seen it yet — it’s time to go get familiar with it. I’m here to tell you: in one quarter-hour, bring your dance costumes to the main courtyard and assemble with the other sisters. We’ll go over together.”
The three of them agreed.
With that done, Senior Sister Qin went back to her room. Once they were back in their own room, Xiao Man had barely closed the door when Shi Tang said in a rush: “What do we do now?”
Mo Juntian sighed. “Without this, I’d have almost forgotten we’re also supposed to perform at the festival.”
“We have to assemble in a quarter-hour, and there’s no telling how long ‘getting familiar’ will take. We’ll have to leave the rest to Wei Chuyun and Qu Hanxing. Wei Chuyun is steadfast; Qu Hanxing is quick-witted. They should be fine.” Xiao Man’s expression remained composed. He took out a message talisman and relayed the sudden development to the others.
A few breaths later, a reply came. On the other end, Qu Hanxing sounded as though he was jumping up and down: “After you lot left, something came up on our end too — we’ve been sent to East Main Street to help with something!”
“What!” Shi Tang and Mo Juntian looked at each other in blank dismay.
A brief silence fell over the room. When it broke, Shi Tang began pacing the narrow space. “This is too convenient to be a coincidence. It feels like something is deliberately trying to stop us from digging further.”
“I think so too,” Mo Juntian said.
Since hearing Qu Hanxing’s message, Xiao Man’s furrowed brow had not relaxed.
“Hard to say.” He took a sip of tea. “How long until the festival?”
Mo Juntian answered: “Today, tomorrow, and the morning of the day after.”
He then stepped in front of Xiao Man, looking directly at him, and said with quiet seriousness: “That’s not so short, but not so long either. For now, let’s take care of the… performance. Sleeve Dance paid us well, and the arrangement Shi Tang negotiated is tied to it. We can’t back out.”
“There’s nothing for it,” Xiao Man said, eyes downcast.
“So we’re just dropping the investigation?” Shi Tang was dissatisfied.
“Of course not.” Xiao Man stood, reached out, and ruffled her head. “We’ll see if tonight brings any opening.”
As it turned out, those words proved almost prophetic — though not in the way he’d hoped. Senior Sister Qin led the group to the float, and preparation alone took a considerable stretch of time; then came several full run-throughs of the dances, one after another. It was not until the moon hung high in the sky that she finally clapped her hands, praised everyone for their hard work, and declared the session finished for the day.
They had even eaten their evening meal on the float.
Round after round of it — but the dances were genuinely well-practiced by the end. Besides, they had been assigned supporting positions from the start: no dazzling displays of skill, no eye-catching moves, just as Shi Tang had described at the beginning — follow along and keep pace. Nothing too complicated.
As for Xiao Man — Senior Sister Qin had wanted him for his face from the very beginning. His only job was to keep that face visible at all times.
Coming down from the float, they fell in at the tail of the Sleeve Dance troupe’s procession and made their unhurried way back toward the inn.
Xiao Man looked up and gazed at the moon from a distance. A waxing crescent — curved like a fine tooth, slender, half-hidden in the clouds, with something almost bashful about it.
“Is anyone still following us?” Mo Juntian asked in a murmur.
Xiao Man lowered his gaze. His spirit-sense unfurled like water spreading across the whole length of the street, moving through the bustling crowd, threading between the nighttime lanterns and the sounds of laughter, brushing past all manner of food stalls and small wares — then flowing back in silence, quietly gathered home.
“No,” he said.
Mo Juntian gave a soft “oh.”
But Xiao Man stopped walking. He glanced in a certain direction, then said to Mo Juntian and Shi Tang: “You two go ahead. I have something to see to.”
“Be careful,” Mo Juntian said.
“Mm.” Xiao Man nodded, and walked toward a stall selling lanterns.
A figure in dark robes with silver hair stood before the stall. A long, elegant hand extended, as though considering which lantern to choose. The street blazed with lantern-light, and the night was deep and soft around it — half his face was lit by the glow, the other half vanished into the dark. His features were striking, the lines of his face sharply defined.
Xiao Man came to stand beside him and asked directly: “What did you call me over for?”
“This afternoon, I went to Jinshi Street,” Yan Wushu said, answering a different question entirely.
“Oh?” Xiao Man turned to look at him.
Yan Wushu promptly put a medicinal pill into Xiao Man’s mouth. It was clear, faintly sweet, and dissolved the moment it touched his tongue. Xiao Man had no chance to refuse — only to glare. Yan Wushu saw the look, gave a quiet hum, and said: “Blood replenishment.”