"Let me get this right. You found a western monster. Here in the North. Which ate a dead lady. And turned her into a baigu jing by burning away her flesh. And now she's trying to pay back the town for letting her baby die?"

"Most likely." Qing Xiashu hummed with a light nod.

"And that thing that Liming Yingxiong is holding- is that western monster." Xue Huayu was watching the man with utter fascination as the feathered wyrm slithered into his sleeves to keep warm.

"Correct."

"How did you go from killing taotie pups to snuggling a venom spitting wyrm?"

"Adaptability, Beifang Gongzhu." Yin Liming said as though it were clear.

Xue Huayu scowled and raised her hand to threaten a slap. But Qing Xiashu did the same with his sleeve fully ready to whack her. She lowered her hand cautiously and he did the same, expression calm but still warning.

The rogue laughed lightly, shifting his stance away from the princess, just in case he would need to make a break for it.

"Qing Shixiong! Beifang Gongzhu!"

"Ah, Pian Shidi." Qing Xiashu turned to the rushing boy that had appeared from the forest. Hefeng bounded over beside the young boy, fluffing suspiciously at the feathered wyrm. "What's happened?"

The boy doubled over to place his hands on his knees and take a breath before he straightened and held a message slip out. "Hefeng found something back in town, A-niang said I had to come get you-- what is that?"

"A feathered wyrm. They're from the West." Qing Xiashu explained as he took the slip, reading it over before handing it to Xue Huayu.

"They found something at the inn?"

"Mm, A-niang says it's suspicious."

"Strange..." Xue Huayu murmured, crouching down to ruffle Hefeng's ears. "What was it exactly?"

The boy gave an unhelpful shrug.

"Let's check that out while we wait for nightfall." The princess decided, brushing her knees off and waving away Hefeng.

The dog bounced along to her owner next, plopping right down at his side. "Be careful with the wyrm while in town." Qing Xiashu said over his shoulder as he turned to follow the boy who'd brought them their message.

"I will." Yin Liming agreed, walking with them towards their inn. "I think it's settled down now."

"It was probably agitated with the temperature, it's much colder here than its native climate."

The trek back into town was thankfully both short and peaceful; Xue Huayu and Yin Liming didn't converse and thus didn't argue.

"What's for dinner?" Xue Huayu asked as they arrived at the inn, letting the boy lead to the so-called suspicious find.

Rather than answering, Qing Xiashu averted his eyes.

"Again?"

"It's good!"

"Fine. I'm just saying but failing to vary your diet is exactly why your stomach is so finicky."

"The doctors already tested for that, they said it shouldn't be posing a problem."

"Have you told Da-ge yet?"

"..."

"Er-ge!"

"What? He has plenty of things going on, let's handle ourselves for just a while."

Xue Huayu huffed, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "Fine."

"Fine." Qing Xiashu echoed in a much gentler tone.

Helpfully, Yin Liming didn't make note of any of this conversation. Or at least didn't ask any questions.

Thank the gods for small favors.

A small group of their retainers had collected in the inn's courtyard, buzzing like tired bugs.

"Beifang Gongzhu, Qing Shixiong, we've found something- strange." One mentioned as they stood apart from the small group.

"Well what is it then?" Xue Huayu questioned, heaving a sigh.

"It's beside the small building next door." The disciple explained, leading their way from the courtyard again and into the street.

The wyrm was safely tucked under the brown shrouds that covered the rogue, but Hefeng still viewed the man warily. Despite all that she didn't reply aggressively towards him, so Qing Xiashu would take it.

"This." The disciple stooped down in the narrow passage between the buildings and lifted a few pieces of loose lumber.

The ground was soaked in frozen blood. So cold that it had yet to decay much at all.

"What is this building?" Qing Xiashu questioned as he crouched down before the blood, flicking his fingers to signal for Hefeng to do her work.

"The innkeeper informed us it was a pleasure house, but as of now it's used mostly by vagrants."

"Why is that?"

"He didn't say."

Hefeng's hackles lifted before she seated herself back at her owner's side. "Seems we've found the origin of our baigu jing." Xue Huayu sighed as her eyes slid up the building to the covered windows. "Now was she pushed or did she jump?"

"What has her victim type been? Male or female?" The head disciple questioned as he absentmindedly patted Hefeng's head.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It will point to who we're looking for. The other courtesans or the clientele."

"From my memory, all of her victims have been older women..." The disciple mentioned, rubbing their cheek in thought.

Qing Xiashu made a sound of interest as he gazed into the rusty stain on the ground. "If her madam pushed her... she may be trying to target her in particular. Do we know where the madam got off to?"

The disciple shook their head.

"We'll look into it, thank you for bringing this to us. Take a few of your peers and continue searching around if you're able." Xue Huayu instructed.

"Yes, Beifang Gongzhu." And with that, the disciple disappeared again.

"Well?" The princess asked expectantly.

"Let's find the madam." Qing Xiashu hummed. "Chances are the baigu jing will appear near her and attempt to kill someone of relation, be it blood or appearance."

Yin Liming finally spoke up after his sustained moments of quiet. "She's the wife of the town official."

"How do you know that?" Xue Huayu sighed.

"I met her when I discussed the case with her husband. She served drinks the way many courtesans do."

"What does that even mean?" The princess huffed.

"Have you ever been inside a pleasure house?"

"No way! Why would I!?"

"That much is obvious. Courtesans are extremely particular. They move in particular ways and do all sorts of things no one else does."

As usual, Qing Xiashu only tilted his head and hummed. "Couldn't she have just been a retired courtesan?"

"Hardly. Her husband said they'd been married very young."

"Eh~? See Xue Xiaojie, he can be helpful!"

"Speculation!"

"Whatever you say, Beifang Gongzhu."

"I do say! And I also say that assuming her guilt so early is ridiculous!"

"Why don't we go ask her then?" Qing Xiashu cut in, standing and clapping his hands finally. "Less bickering, more walking, come along!"

Xue Huayu gave Yin Liming a scathing look before taking off after her brother.

"Can't you make him go away?"

Qing Xiashu chuckled. "No, not without a good cause."

"How about because I want him gone."

"That is not how it works. He hasn't done anything wrong. And until he does, I'm not going to help you chase him off."

"Fine."

"It is indeed."

Xue Huayu's scowl was turned on him this time, before she again marched off.

"I am sorry to cause so much tension." Yin Liming murmured.

"Oh, you're fine. Carrots can cause this too."

"Carrots?"

"Carrots."

•••

"No, I didn't push her." The old madam sighed slowly.

"Did she throw herself?" Xue Huayu asked gently.

"More or less... She'd been hallucinating for days. I entered her room to bring her a meal, and she startled so badly she tipped right over the edge. I went to the window but she had vanished, there was just blood left."

"Ah." Qing Xiashu stated blandly.

"What?"

"Our little wyrm friend likely wasn't the only thing blown in on western winds. There's a beast in the West, a creature under the fae classification. It takes a human form to impregnate women with a curse of insanity. If given the chance, it will feed on her soul after she's been cast out by society."

"So it wasn't a baby?"

"No, it most certainly was." The head disciple explained, crossing his arms. "Though it would never have come to term. It will purge itself if its father doesn't come to collect it, or it dies with its mother."

"This woman has gone through so much..." Yin Liming murmured, gently rubbing the wyrm's head, despite its contribution to their current issues.

"Her rage is understandable. But misplaced. We'll need to stay by when night falls."

And so they would wait. Qing Xiashu and Xue Huayu pacing the perimeter just outside the madam's home, while Yin Liming stayed inside as another layer of defense.

Rattling bones echoed through the darkened streets.

The cold hiss of the baigu jing erupted from the edge of a nearby building. It moved in jaunty and thoughtless patterns, the way a bug flitted between flowers motivated by instinct and little more.

Xue Huayu bristled as she readied Kaihua, taking a few quick strikes with the blade before letting Qing Xiashu take up her position.

She looped around to catch the spirit off guard, but failed to move quickly enough. The bones rotated unnaturally to catch each blow and throw the blade back. Hefeng warily circled around the fight, keeping safely out of the way.

Xue Huayu yelped as she was tossed haphazardly by the spirit. She was scolding Qing Xiashu for catching her before his arms even connected with her shoulders.

They could only follow it inside so quickly.

Blood splattered across the floor as Yin Liming caught the baigu jing's jaws with one of his arms, blocking the skeletal woman from reaching her former employer.

The madam cowered and sheltered her head uselessly behind him. Unhelpfully neglecting to do so much as move while he took the brunt of the attack.

From below the shrouds the wyrm spat acid at the spirit, leaving fresh scorches along with the older ones.

The baigu jing tore at his shoulders, trying to get a grip on the serpent, hooking boney fingers under the shrouds and tearing them clean away.

The baigu jing tore at his shoulders, trying to get a grip on the serpent, hooking boney fingers under the shrouds and tearing them clean away [https://img.wattpad.com/9d5a1e55abfa5fcfc37cf80ae728faa9115d5e3d/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f466845436d38565f5958554e4b413d3d2d313439373031303036382e313830393436656134663838646537363935373538353532373336372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Reddish curls fell in every direction away from the man's shoulders.

A figure shifted uneasily as they were beaten by freezing winds before collapsing, reddish hair circled with golden leaves flicked away from their body by the air.

Laughter and the taste of lavender, oranges, and ginger.

Reddish hair waved peacefully in a soft wind.

Qing Xiashu nearly tripped on his feet before pulling himself into purposeful motion again, swooping down under the baigu jing to push it off of Yin Liming. "Get back inside your bedroom!" Xue Huayu snapped at the woman, startling her into movement.

With Qing Xiashu's strike, the baigu jing stumbled away and released Yin Liming's arm. "Er-ge, talismans?"

"Ready whenever you are."

"Do it."

Qing Xiashu threw his arms out, talismans fluttering themselves into a circle to nail down the unruly skeleton, light splitting the darkness.

"That's plenty!" Xue Huayu called, wrapping another ring of talismans around the yao.

Perfectly timed, the rings independently tightened before exploding into a fiery tomb. This torrent of flame turned anything that might be enclosed inside into little more than soft ash.

Hefeng cleverly stayed away from the fray, knowing much better than getting too close to something that would be incinerated. They even left a scorch mark on the floor boards.

"Well. That was eventful." Xue Huayu said simply, dusting herself clean of small floating ash fibers. "Any other suspicious monsters you foresee being problematic? Given that we already have four you could stand to be a less patient viper."

A laugh ticked the back of Qing Xiashu's throat but he locked it down. "I only predicted two of them..."

"Two too many." The princess's attention shifted to the hero that was nervously shuffling his torn shrouds. "Distinct indeed."

"Ah. Yes. It is, isn't it..." Yin Liming grumbled, picking at one of his strands of reddish hair, expression somewhere between a sigh and a grimace.

"Things blown in by the West brought up to three." Xue Huayu muttered, already turning to go.

"I'm not really from the West, neither were either of my parents."

The princess raised a suspicious brow but decided not to argue with him for once, instead abandoning them both.

Qing Xiashu on the other hand only chuckled. "I'll see if I can get you new shrouds, but first come back with us to the inn, it's best we rest."

"It's alright, I should probably head back towards the wilds to drop off the wyrm." As though recognizing its reference, the little feathered wyrm's head popped out of the first layer of Yin Liming's robes.

"Are you alright there, my friend?" Qing Xiashu questioned, leaning down slightly to reach eye level with the wyrm.

The wyrm simply retreated back under the cloth.

"Eh? Not a fan of me? Very well." The head disciple soon straightened to speak to Yin Liming again. "If you plan on leaving immediately, at least ensure you pick up your portion of the commission before you go."

"I will." The rogue said with a gentle nod.

Qing Xiashu provided a small smile. "I'll see you around then." Then he turned away, following the direction he himself had suggested. He returned to the inn and gave a comfortable huff when he entered the warmth of the building.

"Where's Liming Yingxiong?"

"He's set off to drop the wyrm into the wilds."

"Seriously? You didn't make an agreement with him or anything?"

"He'll be more careful."

"You just want to see him again don't you?"

Qing Xiashu simply shrugged and wandered away towards the kitchen.

•●•