Li Yunxiu: "Got You"

Elder Yan was dead. In his youth, he had once charged alone into Mount Taiheng, his name shaking both banks of the Great River. Just moments ago, he had effortlessly defeated the Twin Swords of Nanhai. And yet, this secret master sent by the Emperor to protect them had died so easily. The corner of Wang Yu's mouth twitched. For such a powerhouse to die so abruptly—was this world really this dangerous? With a collective gasp, the entire dining hall erupted into commotion. Had this been an ordinary jianghu clash, they might have simply watched the spectacle. But poison was involved, and none of them could help worrying whether they might be caught in the crossfire. Startled patrons sprang to their feet. Led by Song Yong, the ten imperial guards drew their sabers in unison, watching the room like hawks. Only Li Yunxiu remained calm. She glanced at Elder Yan's corpse, then turned her gaze to the shivering waiter, who could barely stand. "Take me to where the tea is kept in the kitchen." Li Yunxiu's words gave the waiter strength. He nodded repeatedly, turned, and led the way. "Princess Consort?" Song Yong looked at Li Yunxiu. Li Yunxiu waved her hand. "From the moment we didn't drink those three bowls of tea, the culprit had no reason to stay here." Song Yong signaled with his hand, and the guards sheathed their blades. Li Yunxiu followed the waiter into the kitchen, with Wang Yu and Zi Ling trailing behind. The kitchen was unremarkable. The head cook was still busy at the stoves, while a kitchen hand had just brought over some diced meat. The helper had poured himself a bowl of cold herbal tea and was leisurely sipping it. His face had already turned a bruised, blackish green. "Y-You..." The waiter pointed at the helper, almost unable to speak. "What's wrong with me?" the helper asked. "Why did you bring guests in—" Before he could finish, darkness took his vision, and he collapsed to the floor. Li Yunxiu walked up to the iron pot of herbal tea with a cold expression. She gave it a faint sniff, exhaled a sigh, and let out a breath of relief. "Back to the carriage. We depart!" *** One of the guards took over driving the carriage, and the entire group set off again on empty stomachs. One guard had thought to buy steamed buns from the bun shop next to the eatery to stave off hunger, but Li Yunxiu took the buns and tossed them to a stray dog by the roadside. When the dog let out a sharp yelp, convulsed violently, and dropped dead on the spot, everyone fell silent. "Our enemy is very adept at anticipating human nature," Li Yunxiu said gravely. "He calculated that we wouldn't dare continue dining in the eatery, and that after stepping outside, we might buy buns next door to fill our bellies." "What if we found another eatery?" Zi Ling asked. "The food in that eatery might be poisoned as well," Li Yunxiu said flatly. "Then wouldn't we be able to track him down?" Zi Ling asked. "He is always one step ahead of us. How could we find him?" Li Yunxiu countered. "Just who is he to be so formidable?" "I don't know who he is, but I know he isn't truly that formidable." "Huh?" "There are plenty of poison experts under heaven, but very few have reached the pinnacle of the art." Li Yunxiu took the opportunity to explain to Wang Yu, "Whether derived from metals or living creatures, poisons usually have a color or a distinct smell. If mixed into food or wine, anyone paying close attention can detect them. That is why most poison users apply their toxins to weapons or concealed projectiles. "Only when a poison is refined until it is completely colorless and odorless can it be slipped into food and drink to silently kill true masters." "This person doesn't count?" Wang Yu asked. "Of course not. His poison carries a cloying sweetness. The cold tea had red dates in it, and the buns carried the aroma of steamed flour, which masked the sweet taste. That was how it deceived Elder Yan." At this point, Li Yunxiu looked at Wang Yu, an enigmatic light in her eyes. "If not for you, I might not have noticed either." This town had been bustling, and they had chosen the eatery at random. Even Li Yunxiu had not anticipated someone could poison the tea in such a short window. Though that cloying note differed from the natural sweetness of red dates, without being on alert, Li Yunxiu could not be certain she would have caught it. Zi Ling patted her chest in lingering fear, failing to stir the slightest ripple. "Speaking of which, you were the one who saved us!" "Why don't you—ahem..." Wang Yu nodded solemnly. "If there's a flaw, we can guard against it. From now on, we won't eat sweets anymore. It's healthier for the body anyway, and starting wellness habits early isn't a bad idea." Li Yunxiu ignored his jest and continued her deduction. "His poison is flawed, yet he still laced the food with it, which proves he dares not face us directly." Zi Ling chimed in, "His martial arts are weak!" "Yet his lightness skill is formidable," Li Yunxiu said. "Otherwise, he couldn't have slipped the poison in before we entered the shop without affecting the earlier patrons. "Moreover, he is somewhat impatient, unwilling to give us even a moment's respite." Li Yunxiu's eyes narrowed slightly. "That is why he poisoned the bun shop right away instead of waiting for another opportunity." Wang Yu listened quietly to the female top scholar's deductions. "Our enemy has extraordinary lightness skills, can poison our path silently ahead of us, and likely knows disguise techniques to blend in without attracting attention. Finding him in a crowd would be nearly impossible. "A thief can wait a thousand days to strike, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days. We still have a long journey to Longshan Prefecture, and there may be other assassins ahead. We have no time to drag this out with him." Li Yunxiu's eyes flashed. She had Zi Ling lift the carriage curtain and spoke to Song Yong, "Decurion Song, we change course. Leave the official highway and take only back roads." Song Yong took the lead and wheeled his mount around, guiding the carriage and the imperial guards onto a secluded trail. *** The sun gradually dipped westward, casting its rays through uneven gaps in the canopy and bathing the world in a layer of golden light. A gentle breeze stirred the rustling leaves, carpeting the earth below. The clatter of hooves broke the forest's chorus of birds and insects, followed by a succession of footsteps as a troop of travelers broke into the tranquil natural scene. "Reporting to the Prince and Princess Consort, there is a small courtyard ahead," Song Yong reined in his horse and asked for instructions. Zi Ling drew back the curtain, allowing Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu to see the small homestead ahead. It had no walls, only a waist-high wooden fence circling the perimeter. Within stood three small huts—one main hall flanked by two side wings. From inside came the rhythmic thuds of wood being chopped, along with the giggles of a child. Li Yunxiu checked the hour and instructed, "I will go greet the host. We will make do here for the night. Camp outside the courtyard and do not disturb them." "Yes!" Song Yong acknowledged and dismounted. Wang Yu, Li Yunxiu, and Zi Ling stepped down from the carriage. Standing outside the fence, they knocked on the wooden gate, which did nothing to block their view. The master of the homestead had already spotted them, and they him: an elderly woodcutter, accompanied by a little boy with hair tied in an upright tuft. The boy ducked behind a half-built mud stove in the yard. The old woodcutter set down his wood-chopping knife and came over to open the gate. "Who might you folks be?" "Greetings, elder," Li Yunxiu gave a slight curtsy. "We took a wrong turn and lost track of the hour, missing our lodging. We would like to request shelter for the night. Rest assured, our retinue will stay outside and won't disturb you in the least. When we depart tomorrow, we will offer a gift of gratitude." The old woodcutter scratched his head. "A gift of gratitude? What's that?" Zi Ling answered, "A reward for your kindness. Five taels of silver." The old woodcutter grinned, hastily waving his hands as he invited them in. "Come in, noble guests, please come in! Traveling far from home isn't easy. In a bit, I'll vacate the main room for you. It's crude and humble, so please don't take offense." "You are too kind. Any place that keeps out the wind is more than enough," Li Yunxiu returned the courtesy as she entered the yard. Seeing his grandfather welcome the guests, the little boy lost his fear. He emerged from behind the stove and eyed them curiously. Beside the half-finished stove lay heaps of mud, straw binding, and lime. The stove was still functional, however; over the larger burner, an iron pot bubbled away, releasing an enticing aroma. The woodshed door stood open, stacked with firewood the old man had gathered, alongside fresh split logs scattered outside. Beside the main house was a dog kennel, inside of which curled a faint, hazy shadow, with half a bowl of leftover food sitting by the entrance. Beneath the eaves of the main house lay a wooden hobbyhorse, a rattle drum, a wooden comb, and two crude rag dolls. The old woodcutter walked with heavy steps, his legs and feet seemingly stiff with age. He called his grandson over to bring out several low stools for the guests, ladled a few bowls of thin porridge from the pot, and brought out several dry flatbreads baked beforehand. "Noble guests, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? I just finished cooking this cured pork porridge. It might not taste fancy, but it fills the belly." Zi Ling took the bowls of porridge and handed them to Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu. Li Yunxiu brought her bowl to her nose, gave it a gentle sniff, took a small sip, and nodded with praise. "You are too generous, elder. This cured pork porridge is very fragrant." "As long as you like it, noble guests." The old woodcutter handed some flatbreads to the boy, telling him to take them out to the imperial guards, which earned a chorus of thanks from outside. As they ate, Li Yunxiu chatted casually with the old woodcutter. She learned that his son and daughter-in-law had died in an accident, leaving him to raise his grandson alone by gathering firewood. "Do you take your wood to the nearest town, Lujia Market, to sell?" Li Yunxiu asked. "How are wood prices these days? Enough to live on?" "Aye, Lujia Market it is," the woodcutter replied. "Right now, spring regulations forbid chopping wood near the town, so my deep-mountain wood sells well. A hundred jin goes for five hundred copper coins." Li Yunxiu nodded with a smile. "That is indeed quite good." Having skipped lunch, everyone was truly famished. Dipping the dry flatbreads into the cured pork porridge, they quickly finished a hearty meal. By contrast, the old woodcutter and the boy drank only a small bowl each, barely seeming to have eaten their fill. Zi Ling beckoned the boy over, fishing a pastry from her waist pouch. "This is walnut crisp from Qiyunzhai in the capital. It's delicious!" The boy looked to his grandfather, saw him nod, and accepted it with a word of thanks. He took a bite, and his eyes instantly lit up. "Is it good?" "Very good!" The boy nodded repeatedly, then scurried over to the stove. From a smaller burner, he lifted a kettle, poured three small bowls, and carried them over on a wooden tray. "This is sugar water my grandfather boiled for me. You can have some!" the boy said. "Thank you." Li Yunxiu took the bowl of sugar water, then looked back at the old woodcutter. "We just came through Lujia Market..." Before the words left her mouth, Li Yunxiu moved like lightning. First, her hand clamped around the woodcutter's wrist; then, she splashed the bowl and its contents straight at the boy, while her other hand struck and sealed the woodcutter's vital acupoints across his chest. The old woodcutter went limp, while the boy shrieked and leapt back with astonishing agility—only for Zi Ling to materialize behind him, striking his acupoints and sending him crashing to the ground. Meeting the old woodcutter's shocked, furious glare, Li Yunxiu smiled faintly. "Got you."