In the eighth year of Tianwu.

Late winter in the south of the Yangtze River, the rain drizzles continuously.

"It seems the weather has finally warmed up," said Cheng Wuyue, stretching out his hand to brush away the willow branches before him. His peripheral vision caught a shade of green, similar to his own robe, but more vibrant.

Without giving it another glance, he strolled on with his umbrella, carrying his luggage on the rural path.

Behind him, a beggar boy, about eleven or twelve, followed silently and intermittently, like his shadow. The young beggar was in tattered clothes, skinny, with a dirty face but bright, lively eyes.

The seemingly endless road stretched on. The two walked in silence for what felt like hours until Cheng Wuyue suddenly stopped. The beggar halted a few steps behind, retracting his hands cautiously.

Cheng Wuyue tilted his head, turned to the boy, and smiled, "Why are you still following me?"

The beggar looked down at his worn-out straw shoes without replying.

Cheng Wuyue shook his head and continued walking, "I have no food left. You better go home."

Catching up with a few quick steps, the boy timidly replied, "I have no home..."

Cheng Wuyue's pace faltered momentarily but eventually slowed down. With a distance between them, the two continued on in silence.

The city of Jiangnan loomed in the distance. Cheng Wuyue sighed lightly, gazing at the almost imperceptible plaque on the city gate.

"It's been so many years..." he murmured, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I didn't come here to find her. Why bother myself?"

"Let it be," he adjusted his robe and headed on leisurely.

The rain ceased, and the sun peeked through the dense clouds. On the damp path, Cheng Wuyue and the beggar paced slowly, one after another.

Shaking off the now dry umbrella and folding it, Cheng Wuyue approached a large tree and chose a smooth rain-washed stone to sit on.

The beggar stopped behind a nearby tree, gazing pitifully at Cheng Wuyue—like a scene from yesterday.

With a wry smile and a sigh, Cheng Wuyue took out a small cloth bag from his bosom, gently unwrapped it to reveal the only remaining cake.

He swiftly tore it in half, waving at the beggar, "Come over or it'll be gone."

After a moment's hesitation, the boy ran over and accepted half the cake, sat on the opposite side of the stone, and began eating voraciously.

Cheng Wuyue gently caressed his half, watched the boy, and smiled. He then carefully wrapped the cake back and placed it inside his robe.

"Do you intend to follow me forever?"

"I have nowhere else to go..."

Munching on his cake, the boy responded indistinctly.

"Why follow the poorest man in the streets?"

"You're the only one who gave me food."

Cheng Wuyue crossed his arms, gazing at the boy, a vague image of a young girl appearing before his eyes.

"What's your name?"

"I don't have one. An old man used to call me 'short-lived ghost'."

Cheng Wuyue looked taken aback, "That's not a good name at all! Such bad luck."

"He said I'm orphaned and wouldn't live long..."

"And where is this old man? Why aren't you with him?"

The boy finished his cake, wiped his mouth, and looked expressionlessly at Cheng Wuyue.

"He stole two buns and was beaten to death."

Cheng Wuyue paused, then stood up, grabbing his umbrella, and walked away. The boy quickly got up and followed closely.

"Let me give you a name. How about 'Xiangnan' (Toward the South)?"

"Is it because you're always heading south?"

"Kind of..."

Stolen story; please report.

The two continued in silence, their figures gradually fading into the forest.

Sunlight streamed through the trees, casting mottled shadows on the ground as leaves rustled in the wind.

"By the way, don't listen to him."

"Hmm?"

"You'll live a long and healthy life..."

Inside the bustling city of Jiangnan, by the bustling banks of the Yonghuai River, stands a magnificent and splendid tavern - the Zuisheng Building. Within it, guests come and go, including many dressed in lavish attire, the offspring of wealthy families and government officials. To hold such a place in the opulent and bustling Jiangnan city indicates the astuteness of the tavern's owner.

Now, this prominent owner, named Wanqiu, is pleasantly exchanging greetings with guests in the main hall. Although her eyes seem affectionate, they are as deep and still as an ancient well, showing no ripples. After addressing all present, Wanqiu discreetly turns her gaze to a rugged man sitting alone by the window, "Brother Mo, what brings you to my establishment today? I have a fine vintage stored in the cellar..."

The man taps his fingers on the table and gives a slight smile to Wanqiu, "I wouldn't mind trying it."

With her smile still intact, Wanqiu gracefully moves past the crowd, like a gentle breeze, and soon reaches the stairwell's end. Descending the stairs, the walls are adorned with various wine jars, and the aroma of aged wine permeates the air. She traverses a long corridor where the dark walls seem to swallow all sounds. A dim light casts her shadow.

At the end of the corridor, Wanqiu pushes open a heavy concealed door. Inside is a surprisingly spacious secret chamber. In an inconspicuous corner of the room, there's an old wooden table. On it are broken wine glasses and a pot, as if they hold stories of their own.

Gazing at the wine pot, Wanqiu suddenly seems lost in thought. She exhales lightly and sits down silently. "What are you thinking about?" A deep voice breaks the silence.

Without showing any surprise, Wanqiu glances at the man, with a hairband on his forehead, long hair loosely draped, ruggedly handsome features. "Xu Changfeng! Quit playing games!"

The man named Xu Changfeng chuckles, emerges from the shadows, and hands Wanqiu a letter from his robe. "When did you return?" Wanqiu stands and takes the letter.

"From the moment I returned, I rushed to see you," he replied playfully. Wanqiu frowns, glances at Xu Changfeng, and opens the letter.

Holding his sword, Xu Changfeng gently watches Wanqiu, "The old royal physician was hiding in Luoyang. Sadly, someone leaked the information, and by the time I got there, he was already gone."

"Luoyang?" Wanqiu looks puzzled.

"The Fuhua Temple outside Luoyang... I remember you used to take Nan Qiao there to offer incense. It's unfortunate that the temple's head, despite his good intentions, got embroiled in trouble. Shortly after the physician's death, he too passed away."

After reading the letter thoroughly by the candlelight and ensuring no detail was overlooked, Wanqiu promptly burns it. "That young man from May... I wonder how he's doing," she muses, staring at the burning paper turning to ash. "Any news from Mo Renyi?"

Xu Changfeng promptly retrieves a small jar from the wine rack and places it squarely on the table in front of Wanqiu, "Everything you asked for is in here, worth its weight in gold."

"Thank you." With a smile, Wanqiu takes the jar, preparing to leave the chamber, only to be called back by Xu Changfeng.

"Oh, by the way, I saw a man sneaking into the prime suite earlier. Is that young priestess, Bingchen, solving another case?"

"She still can't let go of the past," Wanqiu pauses briefly, "Let her be."

Watching Wanqiu's retreating figure, Xu Changfeng gently caresses the broken wine pot on the table and sighs softly, "Who can truly let go, after all..."

At this moment, inside room number one of the Drunken Life Building, there sat a man in his thirties. He looked somewhat haggard, with messy hair and stubble portraying his desolation. His eyes were deep-set, as if he had gone through countless torments, revealing a profound worry in his gaze.

"What brings you to me today?" A clear question broke the heavy atmosphere in the room.

Upon hearing this, the man hesitated and looked at the person before him - a young man in a white robe with a red ribbon tying his hair, appearing to be not yet twenty. Could it be true, as others have said, that this young man could solve the unsolvable?

Ye Nanqiao observed the man's hesitant demeanor and raised an eyebrow, pouring a cup of tea for him, "Since you're here, there's no need to beat around the bush."

The man leaned forward to take the cup of tea offered by Ye Nanqiao and carefully caressed it, saying, "I am Huang Hu, from the neighboring town of Tong'an. I came to sell the grain on behalf of my master. Just as I was preparing to go back after selling all the grain, all the silver I earned was stolen..."

Ye Nanqiao took a sip of his tea, "Matters of theft should be handled by the officials."

Huang Hu took a sip and then set his cup down, sighing deeply as he looked at Ye Nanqiao. "To be honest, I suspect one of the four workers I hired. Despite searching several times, I couldn't find the stolen silver. Now, the local official, named Liu Changyu, sees me as an outsider and without any silver to bribe him, dismissed my claims as groundless and careless."

Huang Hu emptied his tea cup, rubbed his hands together, and stared at the empty cup. "The master has treated me with great kindness. Now, his son is seriously ill and in urgent need of money. Time is of the essence. This money is crucial for saving a life. If anything were to happen to the young master, I wouldn't want to live. But I must find the thief!"

Ye Nanqiao chuckled, "You're quite loyal and righteous. But with only four workers, why not just interrogate them?"

Huang Hu gave a sheepish smile. "Sir, you jest. I've known these four workers for some time now. Even if there's a traitor among them, I can't wrongly accuse an innocent person. I came here after hearing about a detective named 'Bingchen' who resides in room number one of the Drunken Life Building and solves cases even the officials can't. That's why I'm here to seek your help."

With that, Huang Hu took out a small jade ring from his pocket and handed it to Ye Nanqiao. "I'm just a simple man, and I have nothing else of value. But I know I shouldn't bother you without offering something. If you're not offended, please accept this as my token of gratitude. All I ask is to quickly find the main culprit and retrieve the life-saving money."

Ye Nanqiao accepted the jade ring without a second glance, nodded to Huang Hu, and said, "You're an honest man, and honest men shouldn't be taken advantage of. Don't worry, keep this matter quiet. In an hour, bring your workers to the southern city bell tower. I will help you identify the traitor today."

Relieved by Ye Nanqiao's assurance, Huang Hu relaxed slightly, got up, and bowed to him, "Then, I'll await your good news."

Before Ye Nanqiao could get up to see him off, Huang Hu quickly left. "What an interesting man!" remarked Ye Nanqiao. Standing up and opening the window, he took out the jade ring to inspect it in the sunlight. After a brief look, he carelessly threw it on the table, "Sadly, it's of no use to me."

As the sunlight streamed into the room, Ye Nanqiao stretched and gazed into the distance. "Time to... get to work!"