Any illusions I had about the grandeur of traveling the countryside and seeing the world were thoroughly dashed against the road and trampled by those accompanying us. It could have been great, I might have seen some wonderful sights and beautiful vistas, but no, I have been cooped up in the carriage with Jingyi for the majority of it, and it is downright stifling!
Every day we would stop for a few breaks around meal time and to give the horses a chance to rest, but I was not allowed to wander or explore. Despite so many unusual plants and animals I have never seen outside of books and scrolls being just a few steps away, I found myself shackled to the carriage by my father’s strict orders. I could only gaze from afar and lament.
To make matters worse, the carriage became increasingly uncomfortable. Bouncing around on stiff wooden seats with only minimal padding had started to take its toll, and I soon found myself excited for our brief stops because I could get out and stretch. While others who walked took the time to rest, and those who rode or drove the carriages tended to the beasts of burden, I practiced my tai chi, popping and crackling like a bundle of dry reeds.
But it is finally over! Well, temporarily, at least. Our trundling caravan has arrived in the first major town in Longzhou: Huiyang. My father graciously agreed to let us stay in town for a few days and recuperate from traveling, and I can hardly contain my excitement.
This is Huiyang! The town itself is not truly remarkable or historically prominent like some others, but it is not Tiansheng, the city I have looked upon from the windows and gates of our estate for years. It is an ordinary town, but it is so much more than that to me, and I intend to make the most of our brief stay.
I suppose it is unfair to say that Huiyang is unremarkable. It is an attractive town built up the gentle slope of the foothills, with the majority of its tightly packed homes and hovels oriented to view downhill, granting it a striking sense of uniformity. The sea of gray slate roofs and white plastered walls creates a maze of clustered alleyways interspersed by wide thoroughfares all awash with the colors of vibrant gardens, parks, and the odd estate or palace painted in bright, lively hues.
The people I see on the streets are dressed in clothes made of humble linens, but dyed any variety of loud and gaudy colors that match their exuberant personalities as they peddle their wares and draw attention to their shops and services. Back in Tiansheng, a city of riches, most people dressed in silk, not linen, so I can readily see the disparity between the two populations.
That isn’t to say that there are no wealthy people living in Huiyang. There will always be someone to exploit the labors of others for their own gain, and Huiyang is no exception. However, unlike the cities of other provinces, Longzhou’s taxes are collected by the ruler of the province, Ruyilong, and the city is only nominally under the governance of an imperial administrator. Instead, control of Huiyang is divided between a handful of daoist sects whose cultivators covet the darksteel mined and refined in the city's forges.
It is the same life, just under a different master.
“Welcome, welcome!”
A short, squat, middle-aged man calls out as my father leads our small party to a nearby inn. It seems a little nicer than the other places we have passed on the outskirts of the city, and consists of a number of mostly-interconnected two-and-three-storied structures along the river which descends from the mountain and splits the city in half.
Several dozen travelers mill about or lounge in this centralized garden square while eating their midday meal and pay little attention to us. My father insists that we keep our appearance muted while on the road, maybe to ward off bandits or robbers, but he hasn’t specified exactly why. However, this innkeeper still recognizes him despite his efforts – or perhaps it is because of them.
“Mister Zhou! It has been, oh, two years since I last saw you?”
“Close to it. How is business?”
“Good! Very good. There’ve been a lot of travelers through recently, and it is a busy season, after all!”
“Hopefully it isn’t too busy. I’d like three rooms, if you have them. I can make do with two if I need to.”
“Ah! Come, follow me and we shall see what I have available!”
The innkeeper waves excitedly to encourage us along and scurries off. With Jingyi at my side, I trail behind my father and observe him with a curious eye. We haven’t spent a lot of time together while on the road, but I notice he seems quite at home traveling as we are. It is a different sense than the one I got from him back in Tiansheng and at the academy, but he’s confident, like he has done this before.
I make a few hurried steps to catch up to him. “You’ve stayed here in the past?”
“Mhm. Many times, though mostly before you were born.”
“You’ve never mentioned coming here before. Why?”
“I’ve traveled to many places in the empire, and stayed at many inns. However, it will take some time to tell you about all that, so how about we put it aside until we’ve settled in?”
I purse my lips. “Okay…”
My curiosity will have to wait. I loiter nearby while my father checks in and registers our identities. The innkeeper diligently records everything in a large book with hurried motions suitable for a well-practiced scribe. He takes down our names, and my father provides identification for the three of us, and then lets our two guards handle their own registration. Once the innkeeper has taken care of the logbook and the formalities that comply with imperial regulations, he closes the book and calls for someone.
“I do have plenty of rooms available today, so my assistant will show you the way,” he pauses for a moment to clear his throat. “Uhm, I must inform you, though, that it will be best to avoid the west wing for now.”
“Is there a problem?” My father inquires.
“Eh, there was. But it has been resolved — mostly.”
I look in the general direction of the west wing, but it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. In fact, it looks just like the rest of the inn. Although, after observing for a bit longer, I do realize there are a lot more city guards there than anywhere else, and not many patrons.
‘How curious…’
“Well, if there is anything I can do, you’ll know where to find me.”
The innkeeper bows in thanks. “I appreciate the offer, Mister Zhou, but it is the type of affair a gentleman like yourself should not get involved in.”
My father nods and gestures for me and Jingyi to follow the maid who arrives to show us the way. Again, my curiosity has been piqued and then left unfulfilled. I cast a glance in Jingyi’s direction, and she smiles once she notices.
‘Maybe I can send her to check it out later? No! What if it is dangerous?’
I shake my head to clear those thoughts.
“This will be your room.”
The attendant slides the door open for us and bows her head so we may enter. I step inside and glance about to get my bearings and immediately feel right at home. A number of paper lanterns with flickering flames provide some light, but the room is mostly illuminated by daylight shining through the paper walls overlooking the city, and it reveals a spacious, yet humble living quarter.
Wide, time-worn fir planks lacquered in a deep, ruddy brown line the floors and make up the interior walls granting privacy from other guests. The subtle grooves from decades of footsteps reveal the room’s age, and suggest that the layout hasn’t changed since its inception.
The rosewood furniture, including a table with benches, chests of drawers, end tables, and the satin-sheathed bed all feature modest, yet lovingly-carved details to create a matching motif of leafy vines. There is more beyond my initial survey, but a number of folding screens placed to strategically divide the room obscure a good portion of it, so I will get to it eventually.
“I’ve barely stepped inside and I already feel at home,” I remark while slipping my shoes off. “It is almost uncanny, isn’t it?”
Jingyi nods. “I agree, my lady.”
“This wing was constructed by a local architect who consulted a feng shui master, so it is greatly auspicious,” the attendant says proudly while shuffling into the room. “We also burn a special incense the same feng shui master developed to amplify the effects. We are very proud to offer the best accommodation possible to all of our guests.”
“A feng shui master?” I move along the often-walked paths in the room and understand why the floors are worn the way they are. Nothing has changed, because it is already arranged according to the flows of qi in this area of the city. “They certainly lived up to the title of master if it has remained like this for so long.”
The attendant bobs her head as she slides several sheafs of the paper walls, which are apparently all doors, to the side to allow the elements in. Even though I am struck with a strong gust of too-warm air, it does not bother me as much as it had before entering the room.
“You may leave these doors open or close them as you desire. The bed has a bug screen to keep the pests away if you choose to leave them open. This room does get a nice breeze, so I’d recommend it.”
I mosey over to the balcony revealed by the opened doors and take in the sights. I lgaze upon the central courtyard and out over the street we arrived on and because we are elevated on the third floor, I can see all the way down the hillside to the river despite the sea of buildings between here and there.
“The view is certainly splendid, isn’t it, my lady?”
“It is breathtaking.”
It isn’t like anything back home. Even from my second-floor balcony I couldn’t see much more than the streets and gardens of the academy since every other building surrounding it is just as tall. Here, elevated on the foothills of the mountains, I can see more of the world than I ever thought possible.
I turn to address the attendant. “How about a wash basin? We’ve been traveling for a while and we need it.”
‘I don’t mind sharing a bed with you, Jingyi, but I’ve had enough of feeling and smelling dirty, and I hate to say it, but you’re not very pleasant right now. I doubt I am any better, though…’
“Of course! If you follow me, I will show you one of the perks of our more premium accommodations.”
Behind the folding screens is a large, oblong tub of water atop a small, raised metal platform. A tub for bathing is a surprise since there haven’t been any obvious signs of heating or plumbing in the room thus far. Nevertheless, the water is clearly warm.
“If you direct your attention to this platform, you will see that we have an array installed to heat the water. It is simple to operate, you merely move this token to one of these circles to select your desired level of heat.”
I lean over to better inspect the mentioned array and find that the metal base bears a series of intricate grooves. I’ve read about such things, and I know that the academy uses a few here and there, but this is my first time seeing one personally. I also inspect the token the attendant mentions. It is a round disc that would fit neatly in my palm, but it can only slide between the five circles, and any attempt to remove it proves futile.
“I suggest the middle setting. Most guests find that the most pleasant, but you might prefer the cooler one considering the weather.”
“Thank you, we will experiment with it.”
“We also recommend a drink and a light meal after a bath, so I will come back soon and leave some things on the table,” the attendant bows. “Please enjoy your stay, and do not hesitate to ask for anything you may need. There is a bell near the door that can be used if no one from the staff is immediately available.”
With her part said, she scurries off.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
I nudge the heating token back to the cooler spot and start peeling my clothes off. Jingyi stands nearby, arms down and fingers laced together, waiting for me to request her assistance. I pause and scowl at her.
“Why are you just standing there?”
She perks up immediately and rushes to my side to help. “I apologize, my lady! I did not want to presume.”
I swat her hand away and shake my head. “No, I don’t need help undressing. I can handle that myself. Why aren’t you? You need to wash up, too.”
Jingyi pauses and stares at me, blinking several times in rapid succession while she processes her thoughts. “I don’t want to intrude…”
I stop, half-undressed, and take hold of her collars. “Get. in. the. bath!”
“Ah! My lady, I can – I can do that myself!”
I huff and turn my back on her and then a minute or two later we are both seated in the tub. It must have looked larger than I expected it to be, because as we slipped into the water opposite each other it took some effort to figure out where to put our legs and feet, but we managed to sort it out after a number of apologies and awkward wriggling.
I let out a sigh. “It has been a while since we took a bath together.”
“It has, my lady.”
“Jingyi, while we are out here, away from everyone else, you may feel free to use my name like you used to.”
Jingyi smiles faintly, though she seems ashamed for some reason. “I haven’t… It’s been almost six years, you know?”
I loop my arms over the sides of the tub and lean my head back to stare up and beyond the ceiling at nothing in particular. “Why is that?”
I ask, but I already know. Once we reached that age where we weren’t really children anymore, but not adults, either, neither of us had the excuse to act like we aren’t who we are. I am the daughter of a high-ranking official, and Jingyi is my servant, and the time came where she had to act the part of a servant rather than as my best friend like she had since the time we were learning to walk and talk.
“It is the way of things.”
I click my tongue, annoyed at the very idea of what she says. “Well, out here we can just be friends.”
Jingyi is clearly uncertain. “I don’t know…”
I do not give her any warning, I merely surge forward and pull her into a hug, splashing water all over. I wince and gasp as something drives the air from my lungs causing me to gracelessly slump against her. “Hnn…”
“Are you alright, my la— Zhou Ran?”
“Y-yeah… your knee…”
I thought I was being cute and friendly by giving her a reassuring hug, but all I achieved was taking her knee to the gut. I hang there, limply, as I reclaim my breath.
“I’ll… I’ll be fine…”
I lean against the balcony and let out a sigh.
The cool bath left me feeling fresh and rejuvenated, and trading out my previous traveling clothes for a new set of simple blue and white silk garments helps reinforce my deep-seated appreciation for cleanliness. Fortunately, I don’t have time to lament the upcoming travels, since the attendant has delivered our refreshments.
After dining on travel rations for a week, the light meal of thinly sliced smoked duck with a tasty apricot glaze and a side of mixed berries and fruits like cherries, peaches, and pears is a welcome change. She also left a pot of tea they called the ‘imperial beauty’ which tastes of orange and honey at the first sip, but the flavor mellows out in the mouth to a slightly nutty and flowery finish. It is a delicious tea that lingers in the mouth for several minutes after sipping it, so I make a mental note to acquire some to take with me later.
Bathed, refreshed, fed, and thoroughly satiated in every way, even the diminishing heat of the evening is easily ignored, especially when the calming breeze blows through the river valley. I sigh again, because simple words are insufficient to express how I feel.
A distant, yet familiar voice calls my attention back from wandering the clouds and into the present and I spot my father seated at a table with another man I do not recognize. They seem to be on friendly terms, so I suspect they know each other, or at least share interests. However, that reminds me that he put off his explanation from earlier, so I whirl around and retreat into the room.
“Jingyi! I am going out for a bit. I’ll be with my dad, so you can stay here.”
She looks up from organizing our belongings with a curious frown like she hadn’t heard me. “Oh, okay. Let me know if you need me.”
I slip my shoes on and make my way down to the court yard and approach my father and his acquaintance, but pause a short distance away. I do my best to listen in for a moment to ensure I am not interrupting anything important, or getting involved in something that doesn’t concern me, but they are just talking about local affairs and rumors, so I move to my father’s side.
He half turns in his seat when he notices my presence so I curtsy. “Ah, Ran’er! Come, sit.”
I exchange a polite smile with the unfamiliar man and take a seat at the table.
He gestures in my direction. “This is my daughter, Zhou Ran. Ran’er, this is Wei Renjie, the local magistrate.”
“Oh!” My surprise is authentic. I did not expect this man to be the magistrate of Huiyang. “It is a pleasure to meet you, magistrate.”
“Xiaoming! You never told me you had a daughter, especially one this lovely,” he directs a sly smirk in my direction. “She must take after her mother.”
‘Only my father’s courtesy name? They must be very close.’
I hide a smile behind my sleeve.
“It hadn’t come up before, but she is my only child, and I am very proud of her,” he leans my way and smiles brightly when he sees me blush at the compliment. “This is her first time traveling out of Tiansheng, so I have to keep a close eye on her.”
“Mmm… You’re taking her to see the great dragon, I suspect.”
“I am.”
“Well, in that case,” magistrate Wei turns to me and forms a peculiar sign with his hands. “Miss Zhou, may the stars align in your favor and the heaven’s grace you with the fortune of a promising future.”
I blink several times, confused by his response.
“That is very kind of you, magistrate. That does remind me, Ran’er was curious about my past travels, which is partly how I met you in the first place.”
“Ah! Indeed, we have crossed paths several times before.”
“Ran’er, as you know, I am a scholar at heart. Knowledge, wisdom, secrets of the past — these are all things that inspire me to do what I do and have moulded me into who I am today. Before you were born, I traveled through here quite regularly, and less and less as you grew up and my duties in the capital expanded. I often stayed here in Huiyang for a few days, like we are now, on my way to Nangao. As proud as I am of the libraries in the imperial academy, they will never compare to the repository of ancient knowledge and lost secrets of the libraries of Nangao.”
“You traveled all that way for books and scrolls?”
He chuckles. “Once you find your calling, you will understand. It is easy to endure hardships if it leads to what you love. Besides, the more I traveled, and the more people I met, the easier it became. Except when I ran into magistrate Wei, though when we first met he was just an investigator working under his predecessor.”
Wei Renjie laughs deep from his belly. “True, true! I hate to admit it, but I might not have been promoted if it weren’t for your father. When we first met, he helped solve a mystery surrounding a string of murders here in Huiyang, and that success elevated me above my peers.”
My father picks up a wine decanter and fills the magistrate’s cup while he explains their history, and then tops off his own before drinking it in one gulp. “He hasn’t relented since. Every time he hears that I am in town he will track me down and regale me with his stories before trying to enlist my aid in some investigation or another.”
“You make it too easy to find you, mister Zhou. If you switched your lodgings at all, I might have to expend some effort!”
“I will take that into consideration next time.”
“Hmm… that does remind me, though, if you have some time, I would like your assistance with something.”
“What might that be?”
“A local man was murdered here last night, over in the west wing, as the result of some gambling gone wrong. We’ve got four suspects in custody, and none of them want to confess to the killing. I’d appreciate it if you’d review the details with me before we move on to… more aggressive interrogation methods.”
My father glances in my direction. “Will you be alright on your own for a bit?”
I nod.
‘A murder explains the guards over there, and why they’re keeping people away from the west wing.’ I peek in the general direction, but there’s not much to see due to poor line of sight. ‘If dad can solve it, he can tell me about it later!’
“Alright. Considering the time, I will most likely see you in the morning. It is safe here at the inn, but don’t wander off on your own, especially at night. If you want to see the town later, have one of the guards go with you, they’ll make sure you don’t get lost and that no one causes any trouble.”
The magistrate swirls his wine and grumbles a bit. “Eh, I’d like to say there’s no danger in Huiyang, but your father is right. It is best to exercise caution.”
“I’ll be careful, and I won’t go anywhere tonight.”
The two men rise from their seats and my father plants a kiss on the crown of my head. “Have a nice evening, Ran’er. The staff will take care of you if you need anything, so let them know.”
“I will!” I smile and playfully pat my hair as if I am scolding him for messing it up with his kiss. “Let me know what you find out!”
“That is confidential, young lady!” the magistrate laughs as they depart.
I rise and smooth out my robes before turning towards the west wing. I am curious about the murder, and about what is going on over there, so I approach — at least a little bit. It is clear I am not the only curious person because a handful of people are loitering around the perimeter trying to see while acting like they aren’t interested. None of us would fool anyone.
I move as close as I dare and settle under a wide awning at the edge of the courtyard, just across the narrow street that separates the west wing from the main building we are staying in. I lean against a thick wooden pole and cross my arms while I observe.
A half dozen of the local guards, probably magistrate Wei’s underlings, are posted around the building, while a pair patrols the perimeter shooing away anyone too curious for their liking. There are no signs of murder, no blood, no bodies, nothing messed up or broken, scattered around, or out of place. It is all very normal and exceptionally boring.
There is only one thing that stands apart, and that is the officer and two other guards arguing with a very distraught woman who refuses to let them in, and who is resisting any attempts to extricate her from the premises. Without their displays of frustration, screaming, and shouting, there’s nothing of interest to draw gawkers like myself.
“I wonder who she is,” I whisper to myself.
“That is the new widow.”
I am startled by the reply and stumble away from the pillar I am leaning against so I can whirl around to face the speaker. Clearly I hadn’t been quiet enough with my inquiry because this man, dressed in daoist robes of white, black, and several shades of purple, heard me well enough. I open my mouth to speak but he looks up at me and my breath catches in my throat. He is an astoundingly beautiful man, though in an uncanny way, like his perfection exceeds the realms of normality and has become entirely inhuman.
“I apologize for startling you,” he shifts in his seat and removes his feet from another stool while raising a bottle. “How about a drink as an apology?”
I hesitate. It’s better to avoid associating with strangers, but the more I look at him, the more sure I become. He is not a threat. I take a step forward, but catch myself.
‘Wait! Why do I think that?’
He catches on and frowns. “Don’t fret, I am a friend — or close enough. You’re Zhou Xiaoming’s daughter, no?”
I clutch the fabric of my sleeves tightly as my anxiety heightens. “I am. I am Zhou Ran.”
“I am Yang Lide, and I am as curious about what is happening here as you are. Sit, have a drink, and speculate with me for a bit.”
I feel it again — that sense of calm and safety. ‘That isn’t normal at all!’
I sit down and he smiles, pleased that I consented. Yang Lide hands a cup to me and pours something into it. “This is a local bai jiu, called ‘silver mist’. It is made from fermented sorghum harvested in the valley and matured in the caves behind the city. Let me know what you think.”
I raise the cup to my lips, but do not sip it right away. I immediately notice an exceptionally pure and fragrant soy-like aroma and can only imagine the flavor is just as powerful. I finally take a sip and I am not disappointed. The flavor is nutty, grainy, and savory.
“Good, no?” He holds the bottle up to offer a refill.
I hold the glass out so he can fill it again. “It is good. The flavor is very strong.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
I look at the liquid in the glass as the aroma fills my nose again and smile faintly. “What brings you to Huiyang, mister Yang?”
“I live here, at least, for now,” he reclines against the wall behind him and sets the bottle down between us, but purposefully within my reach. “I am one of many from my sect stationed here to protect our interests in Huiyang. How about you, Miss Zhou, what brings you to Huiyang?”
I empty my glass and set it down next to his bottle. “We’re just passing through. My father is taking me to Nangao.”
Yang Lide looks me over out of the corner of his eye. “Ah, I see. You’re at the right age for that pilgrimage. I suspect you’ll be visiting the great dragon, no?”
“I believe that is the plan.”
Yang Lide looks like he is about to comment further, but pauses and narrows his eyes. “Well, it looks like trouble is on its way…”
I turn my head to follow his gaze. Further down the street, a group of five in black and red daoist robes have encountered the patrolling guardsmen, but rather than being turned away, they are directed towards the officer. He has given up trying to deal with the grieving widow for the time being after she closed the door in his face. Considering he couldn’t open it, she has likely barred it in some fashion.
“Trouble? Who are they?”
“Oh, not trouble for someone like you, just for me,” he adjusts his posture to be as casual as possible. “They’re from the Xueliu sect, a rival of my own, and this is their territory. They might get a little upset at me being here under normal circumstances, but I suspect they’ll be too busy butting heads with the guards to worry about me.”
I observe as the leader of the five daoists, a tall, slender man who is disturbingly gaunt in the face, engages the already exasperated officer. From what little I can overhear, they are trying to take over the investigation by claiming they are in charge here. The officer politely rebukes them by saying this is part of Xi’an, and thus the law of the empire must be upheld according to regulations.
“If we’re lucky they’ll put on a bit of a show for us and make your first evening in Huiyang a memorable one.”
“You think they’ll fight the guards or something?”
“You never know with them.”
Yang Lide seems intent on elaborating, but a woman’s scream from the west wing cuts him off and draws everyone’s attention. A moment later, an ominous chill sends a shiver up my spine. Yang Lide slowly rises to his feet and tightly clutches a sheathed sword I hadn’t noticed before. The guards give up arguing with the gaunt daoists and start bashing the door down to break in but it is not a quick process.
I hear another scream, but it is cut distressingly short, and then a sickly blue-black fog billows out of the west wing like a raging avalanche, plunging the entire area into frigid darkness.