Chapter 139: The Foshan Trip, Part Five

After confirming that Huang Tianyu’s life wasn’t in immediate danger, Liu San rounded on the inn’s manager, his voice sharp with accusation.

“What kind of establishment are you running? A den of thieves!”

The manager approached, his face a mask of pure misery, bowing so low his head nearly touched the floor. “It is our fault, our deepest apologies. Please, sirs, calm your anger.”

What a close call, Liu San thought, his heart still pounding. Catching this Qianqian and averting a disastrous end to their mission was a stroke of pure luck, a debt he owed almost entirely to Gao Di.

Earlier that night, after the banquet, Liu San had taken Shucui back to his room. There was a certain charm in the delicate dance of disrobing, and Shucui was an eager and well-matched partner. After several rounds of spirited engagement, a wave of fatigue washed over Liu San, and he was about to drift off to sleep when a soft knock came at the door. It was Gao Di.

“It’s so late. Why aren’t you asleep? What are you doing running around?” Liu San scolded, his voice thick with annoyance.

Gao Di cast a nervous glance into the room before whispering urgently, “Doctor Liu, that singing girl who came today… she’s not from a proper background!”

The phrase was a euphemism, a delicate way of saying she was trouble. Liu San was instantly on high alert. When it came to navigating the treacherous undercurrents of this era, a street-smart boy like Gao Di was a far better guide than any of their manuals.

“Wait here,” Liu San commanded. He went back into the room and threw on a shirt. He wasn’t worried about his money; his large funds and valuables were locked securely in the inn’s safe. Even if Shucui was a thief, she could at most make off with some loose change.

“Where are you going, master?” Shucui asked, her fragrant shoulder exposed as she stirred in the bed.

“To take a bath, I’m burning up,” Liu San replied casually, stepping out and carefully locking the door behind him.

The corridor was no place for a sensitive conversation, so Liu San led Gao Di to a quiet corner.

“What’s going on?”

“I went into the city today and heard some things,” Gao Di began. “There have been several incidents recently where inn guests were drugged and robbed. Because the culprits didn’t follow the local custom of paying their respects, the county’s constables have been investigating quietly. I heard a Mandarin-speaking woman from out of town is the prime suspect. She’s likely a lone operator; even the local gang leaders don’t know who she is!”

“Paying respects?”

“Yes. Pickpockets, thieves, swindlers… no matter their trade, anyone trying to make a living in this county has to pay tribute to the head constable. Otherwise, they can’t operate. They’ll either be driven out or arrested and flogged, lucky to escape with their lives.”

“So corrupt,” Liu San muttered, though he knew this wasn’t the time to critique Ming dynasty politics. “This thief?”

Gao Di nodded. “I heard from the clerk that you gentlemen had called for singing girls. I overheard one of them mention that a girl was an outsider who spoke Mandarin. Putting two and two together, I grew suspicious. I asked around the inn and found out something was wrong.”

“What, is Shucui the thief?”

“Shucui isn’t a thief. She’s registered with the inn and has paid her dues,” Gao Di said, wiping sweat from his brow. “But the one who went to Manager Huang’s room is not on the books.”

“Call him ‘Manager’ outside,” Liu San corrected, frowning. “It’s Qianqian?”

“Yes. This is Qianqian’s first time doing business here. She came with Shucui, who claimed she was a new sister she’d taken in. The inn asked her to register, but Qianqian said she’d do it next time and slipped away without it.”

Liu San nodded. It wasn’t conclusive, but it confirmed his suspicion that Shucui was likely just a pawn, while Qianqian was the real danger.

“You and Chen Tong, go watch Huang Tianyu’s room!” Liu San ordered. “I’ll talk to the manager and get their help to be on guard.”

Gao Di’s instincts proved correct. In the dead of night, Qianqian emerged from the room with a large bundle and was immediately apprehended by the waiting men.

Though small and slender, Qianqian knew some martial arts. She initially knocked Gao Di and Chen Tong to the ground. It took the inn’s security guard to finally subdue and bind her. Even then, she didn’t stop struggling, kicking and screaming, her shrieks piercing the night. Guests from other rooms poked their heads out to see what the commotion was about. The guard had to put a rope around her throat to finally silence her.

“This is all our fault. Our security was lax, and we let a criminal in, frightening our esteemed guests,” the manager said, bowing repeatedly. “As compensation, your bill will be waived. If your friend needs a doctor, all expenses will be covered by the inn. We will also host a banquet to help you calm your nerves…”

“We’ll discuss that later.” Since Qiwei was essentially their own enterprise, Liu San wasn’t interested in assigning blame. “You can all leave for now. I want to question this thief properly.”

Hearing this, the manager frowned. “That might not be appropriate. Whether you release her or report her to the authorities is your decision, but holding a private trial…”

“Who’s holding a private trial?” Liu San thought, I’m not some S&M enthusiast trying to get my kicks. “Don’t worry. I just want to know what drug she used so I can treat my friend!” He paused. “If you’re worried, you can stay and watch.”

“Yes, yes,” the manager reluctantly agreed. “Please, ask what you will. I won’t interfere. Just let us know whether to release her or report her, and we will do as you say.”

He had the clerks clear the leftover food and wine and put Huang Tianyu’s belongings back in order. Liu San wasn’t sure what drug Qianqian had used, but it seemed to be a plant-based anesthetic: the victim remained conscious but their limbs and tongue were numb. The standard Chinese medicine antidotes were licorice and mung beans, so he ordered a decoction prepared. He also had a basin of well water brought and splashed it on Huang Tianyu’s face. Seeing a slow response, he figured there was no immediate danger and that he would recover on his own.

“He’ll be fine,” Qianqian said defiantly from the floor. “Anyone who takes the ‘Elixir of Bliss’ will recover in an hour at most. This young lady is merciful; I wouldn’t take his life.”

“You call this poison the ‘Elixir of Bliss’?” Liu San scoffed. “All medicines have toxic properties. An overdose, even if not fatal, could leave him disabled for life. If he has parents and children, the sin would be immense!”

“It’s not that easy to die from. It’s been used for hundreds of years! Besides, that’s the name passed down from my ancestors, not one I invented!”

“Your ancestors engaged in such wicked deeds and gave it such a pleasant name. They must have been truly shameless.” Due to his profession, Liu San harbored a deep-seated hatred for those who used drugs to harm others.

“Hmph, you dare insult my ancestors? Just wait until my father beats the crap out of you!” the girl retorted, still defiant.

“Your father should be beating the piss out of you!” Liu San threatened. “But he’s probably no better. I’ll do it for him…”

“You dare!” Seeing Liu San roll up his sleeves and scan the room for a weapon, Qianqian, a young girl with little real-world experience, began to panic. Her bravado was just a front. Fearing a beating, she blurted out, “You’ll regret it if you hit me.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Liu San was amused. “You’re just a common thief. Even if I don’t hit you, when we report you to the authorities, the magistrate will have your pants stripped off and give you twenty strokes of the cane…”

Now Qianqian was truly panicked, her face flushing crimson. “You can’t bully me like this! What are you going to do with me?”

“Nothing much. We’ll hand you over to the authorities.” Liu San had made up his mind. The drug wasn’t fatal, so there was no reason to keep her. If he let her go, she might follow them and seek revenge, which would be a nuisance. The best course of action was to have the inn report her. She would be locked up for a few days, and by then, they would be long gone. As for the hardship she would face in prison, that wasn’t his concern. He had no pity to spare for someone like her.

“Hmph, you dare report me?” Qianqian snorted, a look of indifference returning to her face. “You’ll be the ones in trouble.” She seemed to have made a decision. “I didn’t want to scare you, but since you’re so clueless, you have only yourselves to blame.” She wriggled her waist. “Tell Shucui to get a silk pouch from my blouse!”

Liu San gestured. Shucui quickly went over, fumbled in Qianqian’s blouse, and retrieved a small pouch.

Liu San was cautious. He squeezed it before opening. It felt hard and heavy, like metal. The drawstring seemed simple, with no hidden mechanisms. He gently pulled it open and tipped the contents into his palm. A small, exquisitely crafted bronze plaque lay there, catching the lamplight. On its surface, two lines of inlaid gold characters shimmered in the elegant Song script:

Confidant of the Court

Pillar of the Frontier

Liu San’s mind went utterly blank. The world seemed to stop, the air sucked from his lungs. For a few heart-stopping seconds, he was petrified.

Mamma mia, a single, panicked thought screamed through the silence. The Jinyiwei!

Although Liu San’s expertise was in Chinese medicine, not Ming history, he had seen several members of the transmigrator group wearing T-shirts with these eight characters printed on them. Everyone in the group knew what they meant.

How had they gotten mixed up with this secret police organization? Liu San cursed his luck. Yu E’shui had listed the Jinyiwei as a particularly dangerous official agency and had warned everyone to be extremely careful when entering yellow and red zones.

By now, the numbness in Huang Tianyu’s body was fading, and he stumbled over to look.

“My God!” he exclaimed, his voice a choked whisper.

“What? Scared now?” Qianqian said smugly. “Hurry up and untie me, then kowtow a dozen times, and I might forgive you.”

Huang Tianyu whispered nervously, “Liu San, what do we do? This is big trouble!”

“I know,” Liu San nodded, his face grim. The plaque was too well-made to be a fake, though they had never seen a real one. If they had truly offended a member of the Jinyiwei, the consequences would be endless, not only for themselves but for the entire transmigrator group. A murderous thought flickered in Liu San’s mind—perhaps it would be better to kill her and silence her for good.