Chapter 15: Chapter 15

In Bingzhou City, Zhao Jiu and Liu Rouwei led their horses through the city gates.

After several consecutive days of travel, both riders and horses were utterly exhausted. It was now early winter, in the tenth lunar month, and light snow drifted through the air. Bingzhou lay north of the Yellow River, and a thin layer of snow had already accumulated on the ground.

Wrapped in padded robes, Zhao Jiu and Liu Rouwei trudged through the streets of Bingzhou City. Most of the shops on either side had closed, and they did not see a single street vendor even after walking several li. The trees bore only a scattering of leaves, while the surrounding vegetation had withered. Everything presented an air of decline.

The two found a restaurant. Zhao Jiu now had a great deal of silver in his Storage Space that could not be exchanged for God of Wealth Points, so naturally, he had to spend it lavishly.

They ordered an entire table of food and wine, choosing only the most expensive dishes. They also ordered a jug of Liquan, a famous wine from Bingzhou.

While waiting for the dishes to arrive, Zhao Jiu sorted through his Storage Space and silently commanded, Open the Panel.

Host: Zhao Jiu

Cultivation Rank: Fifth Rank

Martial Arts:

Chasing the Stars and Pursuing the Moon (Perfected)

Taiqing Yuxu Scripture (Sixth Level)

Heavenly Origin Saber Art (Proficient)

Secret Arts:

Tang Sect Arcana: Thousand Flowers and Myriad Stamens

Disguise Technique

Turtle-Breathing Technique

God of Wealth Points: 5,100

Zhao Jiu checked the Discount Shop, but he still could not afford anything there.

The cheapest item was the Heaven-and-Earth Convergence, Yin-Yang Great Sorrow Art, priced at five million God of Wealth Points. Compared to the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation, that was merely a drop in the ocean. Even so, five million God of Wealth Points equaled five hundred thousand taels of silver. Zhao Jiu would not be worth that much even if he sold himself.

He had no choice but to purchase five bottles of Foundation-Nourishing Pills at the regular price.

His Fourth Rank cultivation had already been tempered to its limit, and the faint barrier before him was on the verge of collapsing. With five bottles of Foundation-Nourishing Pills, his breakthrough should be assured.

Unfortunately, he now had only 2,600 God of Wealth Points remaining.

Money truly disappeared quickly.

While Zhao Jiu was still lamenting his expenses, all the dishes arrived.

Liu Rouwei had eaten Steamed Buns for several days and had been craving proper food. She no longer cared about maintaining her image. Gripping her chopsticks, she desperately piled food into her bowl.

Zhao Jiu, by contrast, ate in a refined manner, taking a sip of wine with every bite of meat. He was thoroughly enjoying himself.

After several cups of wine, Zhao Jiu looked at Liu Rouwei, who was eating like a starving ghost. He recalled the elegant, noble beauty with the otherworldly bearing whom he had first met and could not help chuckling.

Liu Rouwei was not offended when she saw him laughing. Instead, she set down her chopsticks and asked gently, “Zhao Jiu, am I behaving somewhat improperly?”

“That does not matter. With your current face, no one knows who you are.”

Zhao Jiu tapped his own face twice with his right hand and smiled.

“That is a relief.”

Liu Rouwei breathed out, then teased, “In that case, I must thank Great Hero Zhao for treating me to this meal.”

Zhao Jiu heard the teasing in her voice, but he merely smiled and continued drinking and eating without responding.

Privately, however, he wondered whether he should add the cost of the meal to her final bill. He could not possibly spend this money for nothing.

Even if it was not truly his money.

Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, the two found an inn and reserved two Superior Guest Rooms.

They went out to purchase joss paper, incense, candles, and other offerings. After returning and feeding the horses, Zhao Jiu took a jug of wine and went to chat with the Shopkeeper.

“Shopkeeper, are you familiar with the Jiang Family?” Zhao Jiu asked.

The Shopkeeper was working an Abacus and recording accounts on a sheet of paper. When he looked up and saw that the speaker was a valued customer, he hurriedly replied, “Who in Bingzhou City has not heard of the Jiang Family? More than twenty years ago, the family produced a seventh-rank official, bringing honor to their ancestors. Who would have imagined that only a few years later, smoke would rise from their Ancestral Grave once again, and the family would produce a high-ranking fourth-rank official? Even our Prefect of Bingzhou is only of the fourth rank.”

“Before long, that man was promoted to General of Pacification, an Upper Third Rank official. The moment he arrived in Bingzhou, he began arresting corrupt officials with tremendous vigor. More than twenty officials and merchants involved in collusion were arrested and dragged to the city gates for execution. He was a good official!”

Zhao Jiu listened quietly without interrupting.

It seemed that Jiang Ruhai truly had some ability. At the very least, he possessed an excellent reputation in his hometown.

Following the Shopkeeper’s account, Zhao Jiu skillfully guided the conversation and eventually learned something of Jiang Ruhai’s past and his experiences as a local official.

Judging from the Shopkeeper’s description, Jiang Ruhai had indeed been an exceptional man. He had truly risked his life to rise to the Upper Third Rank.

After indirectly obtaining the information he wanted, Zhao Jiu left the wine behind and returned to his room with his hands clasped behind his back.

At the Zi Hour, the night was utterly dark. Neither the moon nor the stars could be seen.

Zhao Jiu leaped from the window and headed northwest, toward the outskirts of the city.

Along the way, he repeatedly changed his direction and pace. However, he could not shake the inexplicable sensation that someone was following him. He looked back several times but saw no one, which only deepened his suspicions.

Zhao Jiu did not hesitate. He leaped onto a rooftop and surveyed his surroundings. Seeing no one nearby, he unleashed Chasing the Stars and Pursuing the Moon.

In an instant, countless afterimages appeared as snow swirled into the air. After only a few leaps, he vanished from sight.

At the same moment Zhao Jiu disappeared, a man emerged from the shadows at a street corner.

He stood nearly six chi tall, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and thin lips. He wore a Flying Fish Robe, carried an Embroidered Spring Saber, and was dressed in a black official cloak and boots.

He was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The man’s name was Gu Yuan, a Pacification Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He had come to Bingzhou to investigate the murder of the Imperial Envoy.

He had spent the previous two months in Jiangnan. Apart from determining that the assassin had only recently entered the Fifth Rank, he had uncovered almost no useful information.

Changzhou had been sealed for more than a month, yet not only had they failed to capture the culprit, but every trace of information concerning the assassin had also vanished completely.

Gu Yuan felt deeply helpless.

The officials throughout Jiangnan had united into an impenetrable wall. He had failed to uncover a single weakness, while several of his colleagues had inexplicably been transferred away from Jiangnan.

With no other choice, Gu Yuan had left Jiangnan and come to Jiang Ruhai’s hometown to investigate.

He had followed Zhao Jiu merely because he happened to see him leap from an inn window, which had aroused his curiosity.

Now that Zhao Jiu had disappeared from sight, Gu Yuan shook his head, turned, and left.

Not long after Gu Yuan departed, Zhao Jiu emerged from the darkness.

He had only intended to test whether anyone was following him. He had not expected there truly to be someone.

“It seems the matter involving Jiang Ruhai still is not over.”

Zhao Jiu’s expression darkened.

He did not remain there for long before turning and leaving the city.

Following the location written on the Banknotes, Zhao Jiu wandered through the countryside for some time before finally finding the grave of Jiang Ruhai’s mother.

The burial mound was very small. The gravestone bore the inscription:

“Grave of Lady Liu of the Jiang Clan—Erected by Her Son, Jiang Ruhai.”

Aside from that, it displayed only the years of her birth and death. It was so plain that one would never believe it belonged to the close relative of an Upper Third Rank official.

Zhao Jiu took out a Fire Striker and lit the incense and candles. After placing three sticks of incense before the grave, he set fire to the joss paper and funerary offerings.

“Auntie, Lord Jiang and I could be considered acquaintances who came to know each other through fighting. Although we were both rather heavy-handed… our positions were simply opposed.”

Zhao Jiu continued rambling for some time.

Then he knelt properly and kowtowed three times.

“The people of Bingzhou say that Lord Jiang was a good official. You can rest in peace. I promised Lord Jiang that I would sweep your grave on his behalf. The offerings may be somewhat simple, but they represent my sincere regard. I hope all is well with you in the afterlife. Lord Jiang missed you greatly.”

Once the joss paper had finished burning, Zhao Jiu silently gazed at the grave of Jiang Ruhai’s mother. An inexplicable sorrow welled within him.

He stood quietly to one side until all three sticks of incense had burned away. Only then did he exchange the Banknotes for God of Wealth Points.

With that, he fulfilled Jiang Ruhai’s dying wish.

“Auntie, I still have matters to attend to. I will visit you again.”

Whether he was comforting himself or merely seeking something to hold on to, Zhao Jiu murmured those words softly.

He then put away the Fire Striker, turned, and left.