Where Did the Tiger Go?

Late at night, the companion dwelling was asleep, slumbering deeply. The Lady of the Ninth Room gently woke the red lotus. "Do you actually want to get out or not? If you don't, go stay in a different room. Let's not waste each other's time." "I do want to get out, but now isn't the right time." "Just when are you planning to wait until? Until that lunatic takes pity on you and lets you go?" The red lotus cautioned her, "Keep your voice down. Zhao Xiaowan's hearing is sharp, and she's deeply in love with him. You're calling him a madman—if Zhao Xiaowan hears you, be careful she doesn't take your life." "Zhao Xiaowan? I don't think she's Zhao Xiaowan at all. She ought to be Huang Yuxian. Her singing voice and methods are identical to hers." "What nonsense are you talking? Even if I were mistaken, could Hong Ying be mistaken? Stop playing tricks in here. Wait a little longer. When the moment is right, I'll naturally help you out." The Lady of the Ninth Room scoffed. "I'm afraid I'll never see that 'right moment.' I've figured you out. You don't want to leave at all—you're just craving a bite of his flesh!" "Craving him? Do you think I've gone mad with hunger—" Whoosh! The door of the Ninth Room flew open. Li Banfeng came in with a sideways glide, hitching up his right shoulder and dragging his left leg, arriving right in front of the red lotus. "Yi-ya, cha-cha-cha, dance, everyone, don't be shy, don't be shy! Yi-ya, cha-cha-cha, learning the rumba isn't trendy, learning the samba lacks romance—" Dancing all the while, Li Banfeng scooped up the red lotus and carried it to the main room. The red lotus was utterly baffled. "You're dancing the Marionette Dance from the Outer States. Why are you singing the cha-cha?" Li Banfeng explained, "Because I'm a puppet who knows how to cha-cha." "The cha-cha twists at the hips and joints. How many puppets have hipbones?" "Hua Jiu'er, how many lotuses have you seen refine pills?" Li Banfeng brought the red lotus into the main room, set it down amidst a floor covered in blood and flesh, and said, "Eat up!" The red lotus snorted coldly. "Only when others have finished their scraps do you remember me." "Eat cleanly. Don't leave the floor all greasy and slick." Li Banfeng held the gramophone and went on dancing. The commotion grew a bit loud, waking the old man. "Ah Qi! Coming back in the dead of night, don't you know how to keep it down?!" Li Banfeng cradled the gramophone and slid back and forth across the floor. "Old man, winter is coming. We need to stockpile food at home, so we won't be able to keep quiet these few days. Old man, look at my footwork—is it solid?" In his arms, the gramophone was rocked until she felt dizzy. "Husband, why have you become so obsessed with dancing? Are you planning to become a Dance Practitioner?" "Joining that path is out of the question. The Outer States are hunting Du Wenming everywhere, and I'm worried that boy might corner himself and do something desperate. I need to take some precautions." Hong Ying wiped the corners of her mouth. "Seventh Master, does the food brought back these past two days have to do with Du Wenming?" Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes! All these wretched souls lost their lives at his hands!" Through the investigation of Goncharova, Shen Jingye had reached a crucial conclusion: the Birch Hermitage's infiltration into Huan Country had already threatened the nation's security. The reason was simple: the Birch Hermitage harbored ambitions of controlling Puluo Province. While Huan Country did not hold tight control over Puluo Province, it would never surrender it into foreign hands. Orders had come down from the top: the Birch Hermitage had to be thoroughly eradicated, all efforts had to be directed toward capturing Du Wenming, all efforts had to be directed toward securing Yu Yaoming, and all efforts had to be directed toward recovering Yu Yaoming's experimental equipment. Shen Jingye could read the shift in attitude from higher up. Toward Du Wenming, the directive remained an all-out manhunt; toward Yu Yaoming, it had been modified to bringing him under control. Yu Yaoming had indeed killed people, and the fallout was severe. Yet his talent was simply too formidable; higher-ups clearly intended to keep him under their protection. If one crossed paths with Yu Yaoming, he had to be handled with extreme care, but there was no need to show any mercy to the Birch Hermitage. In just over a month, the Dark Star Bureau had dismantled more than a dozen Hermitage strongholds. Though enormous progress had been made in the investigation, Du Wenming was far too brazen and ruthless. He had personally silenced more than a dozen key members of the Hermitage. And those who had been silenced were now all inside the companion dwelling. Hong Ying found it a bit puzzling. "If Du Wenming was the one who killed them to silence them, how did they all end up in our home?" The red lotus said sourly, "Because Du Wenming is a basket that takes in anything you toss into it." Hong Ying chuckled. "Doesn't that make him just like you, a drainage vat?" The red lotus hummed in disdain, gathered up the remaining flesh and blood, and handed the Profound Accumulation Pills refined last time over to the gramophone. The gramophone counted the pills. "Excluding what my husband took before, there are now seventeen Profound Accumulation Pills. That number should be enough." "What do you mean by 'enough,' Darling?" Li Banfeng didn't quite understand. "A person can only take half a pill at a time at most. What do we need so many for?" "Who knows how many you'll need down the line? You can never have too much of such good stuff!" Li Banfeng checked his pocket watch. The time was just about right; it was time to take his wife to the laboratory to do research. For his wife's scientific project, Li Banfeng had poured in tremendous effort. During this period, aside from hunting down key members of the Birch Hermitage, Li Banfeng had spent all his remaining time on the lab. Every detail and arrangement in the lab had received immense dedication. At first, it was for the Boundary; later, it was for his wife. Ever since she began following Li Banfeng, she had stayed inside the companion dwelling. On the rare occasions she went out for some fresh air, she had to spend great effort bargaining with the companion dwelling. His precious wife could wash clothes and cook, understood mathematics and physics, could devise strategies, manage the household finances, act decisively on the battlefield, whisper sweet nothings while getting oiled, sing tunes whenever he wanted melodies, and perform opera whenever he wanted drama. Where else could one ever find such an extraordinary spouse? Now that he finally had the chance to give her a change of scenery, Li Banfeng was determined to spare no effort! Li Banfeng wanted to give his wife a surprise. After lunch, he waved his hand, and his overcoat flew over on its own, draping across his shoulders. Hong Ying gasped in surprise. "You've practiced this technique so smoothly!" The gramophone laughed. "My husband has such great natural talent; he learns everything quickly." Hong Ying shook her head. "That's not the same! Seventh Master doesn't learn other arts this fast! How long has he been studying Cloud Riding, and even now, his flight is still unsteady." The glove chimed in, "The master is used to running on foot and doesn't care for flying. If things drop from the sky, they're hard to find. But the master truly cherishes the things at home." Just as Li Banfeng lifted his wife, getting ready to leave, the companion dwelling expressed its displeasure. "You want to go out already? Wait until you arrive at the spot!" Li Banfeng had hoped to seize the chance to take his wife around on an outing, but his little scheme couldn't slip past the companion dwelling. After living together for so long, why was the companion dwelling still so wary of his wife? Leaving his quarters, Li Banfeng headed to Huahu Park and ran all the way to Iron Gate Fort. He did not go to Qiqiu City first, but instead headed to a deserted mountain in Iron Gate Fort. On the mountain, Li Banfeng inspected the solar panels hung along the cliffside, then ducked into a cavern to greet several good friends. "Lingling, had your fill?" "Nannan, did you eat a lot this time?" "Tongtong, let me feel if you've gotten chubby!" Several massive storage batteries hopped into Li Banfeng's arms. The digital readouts on their screens maxed out off the charts, and waves of red light washed over their bodies. These batteries could jump because Li Banfeng used the art of Counting Family Treasures. They hadn't stayed in the companion dwelling for very long, nor had they spent much time with Li Banfeng, yet Li Banfeng genuinely felt affection toward them. Dancing his marionette dance, Li Banfeng carried the batteries into the companion dwelling. Once he came back out, he danced the marionette dance all the way to Qiqiu City. These batteries were meant for the laboratory. But with the lab located in Qiqiu City, why did Li Banfeng charge them at Iron Gate Fort? Li Banfeng had seven charging stations situated across seven distinct locations. Anyone hoping to track down the lab through the charging stations was embarking on a fool's errand. After arranging the batteries, Li Banfeng brought his wife out from the companion dwelling. The laboratory's lights flicked on. Worried about wasting power, his wife told him, "We're only using the interferometer today. Turning on a single light is enough." Li Banfeng didn't listen to her and lit up every lamp in the laboratory. These lights had also grown familiar with Li Banfeng. Some were glaringly bright, some dim, and some flickered intermittently, dressing up the lab until it resembled the grand dance floor of Xiaoyaowu. Cradling the gramophone, Li Banfeng whirled gracefully between the rows of equipment. The most considerate lamp shifted across the ceiling, its beam pursuing Li Banfeng and the gramophone all along the way, drawing the gaze of every device in the laboratory onto the pair. Burying her horn against Li Banfeng's chest, the gramophone said tenderly, "Yingying wasn't mistaken about you. You've truly mastered this art of Counting Family Treasures. These objects haven't spent much time at home, yet why do they listen to you so well?" "Because I truly treat them as family," Li Banfeng said, pointing at the overhead lamp. "That lamp is named Ah Liang. When I picked him, he knew how to show off. Out of so many lamps, he was the first to catch my eye. "And that lamp in the corner—his name is Ah Hui. He's an honest fellow, not much of a showman, but he works steadily. Flickering in the corner, he's exceptionally good at setting the mood. "And that lamp over there—her name is Ah Hua. She can change colors, and she changes them to match the occasion. Without me needing to plan it out, every light effect is fresh and novel." The gramophone burst out laughing. "No wonder you learned Counting Family Treasures so fast; it's all thanks to this disposition of yours, Husband. Over all these years, every single magical treasure and spiritual item in our home has been treated by you as kin. Aside from that pair of scissors lost back then, you've never abandoned a single piece of your belongings." Li Banfeng sighed. "Thinking of those scissors truly aches my heart. When I track them down another day, I'll bring them back as well." Clutching Li Banfeng tightly, the gramophone whispered, "You treat them like people, so I treat them like people too. Don't let them keep staring at me, though. This humble servant feels embarrassed." "What is there to be embarrassed about? My darling is so beautiful—letting them gaze upon you is their good fortune." Hearing this, the gramophone felt joyful, yet a touch of melancholy crept in. "If I were in my original form, I truly wouldn't fear being looked at. Anyone who saw me would say from the heart that I was lovely." Li Banfeng said, "I'm speaking from the heart. I just think you're gorgeous!" "I know you mean it..." The gramophone let out a soft sigh. She danced with Li Banfeng for a long while before finally starting her experiments. The experiment proceeded smoothly, and the results were thoroughly satisfying. The gramophone jotted down her records and was preparing to make further deductions from the data when Li Banfeng spoke up: "How about I take you for a stroll through Qiqiu City?" The gramophone swayed her horn. "That won't do. If the old man finds out, getting out next time will be hard." "If you don't tell him, how would he know?" "He follows you everywhere; he sees everything." "He's asleep. He can't see anything right now." "Husband, you know he's asleep?" Li Banfeng nodded. "I can even hear the sound of his snoring." The gramophone was surprised. Li Banfeng's perception had advanced so rapidly that he could even hear the old man from outside the house. "Still, in this shape, this humble servant fears she isn't presentable to others." "I think you're wonderful, Darling." Li Banfeng checked his pocket watch and strapped his wife onto his back. "Precious Darling, let's go browse the night market!" Qiqiu City was still in its infancy, and there were not many wealthy people in town. During the day, everyone was busy working to earn money, leaving only the evenings free to wander through the bazaars, which made the city's night market exceptionally bustling. Hearth Practitioners possessed a natural knack for blending in unnoticed. As Li Banfeng walked down the street, almost nobody paid him any attention. Even so, his wife remained nervous, not daring to make a sound. "Precious Darling, just say which one you like!" Li Banfeng squatted beside an accessories stall; he knew his wife loved these little trinkets. His wife lowered her voice. "This servant isn't picky. Whatever my husband buys, I'll love." "Then we'll buy the lot!" Li Banfeng bought out the entire accessories stall. The stallholder was thrilled beyond measure. Distracted by counting the cash, she paid no mind to the object strapped to Li Banfeng's back. The gramophone felt pained by the expense. "Husband, why did you buy it all without discussing it with me? This servant would have just chosen one piece she liked. Let's return the rest." "Didn't you just say you'd love whatever I bought? Since I bought them all, you must love them all. Why return anything? Look over there, Darling—any clothes you like?" "No more clothes. This servant can't wear them anyway." "There's rouge over there too. Tell me which one catches your fancy." The two wandered the night market for over an hour. Li Banfeng was thinking of taking her to a shadow play when the ground suddenly shuddered. The tremor hit forcefully, noticed by many in the night market. Assuming it was an earthquake, and because the night market grounds were relatively open, few people panicked or fled; most crouched where they were to stay safe. Li Banfeng sensed something unnatural about this quake. Activating Discernment of Spiritual Sound and channeling it through the Qiansi earring, he faintly picked up shrill cries. It sounded like Brother Qiu. "Darling, go home first. I'll go see what's happening." "Husband, please be careful." Li Banfeng returned his wife to the companion dwelling and sprinted along the trail of sound. In the territory that had once belonged to Wuqin Township, there was a desolate hill. Because it was choked with bogs, almost no one ever visited. Li Banfeng flew over the mire for a moment and spotted Qiu Luoye. Qiu Luoye had taken the form of an elephant, swinging his trunk as he glared at the man opposite him. The man stood beneath an old tree, which had withered dead for who knew how many years, its branches completely bare of leaves. The opponent clearly understood Qiu Luoye's tactics—falling leaves drifting to the ground would obscure vision, creating openings for Qiu Luoye to launch an ambush. The man wore an off-white trench coat. Though his high collar concealed his face, Li Banfeng recognized him all the same: it was Chu Huaiyuan's father, Chu Shaoqiang. Chu Shaoqiang had recently been helping Chu the Second guard the newland and hadn't caused trouble for Li Banfeng in a long time. Why had he come to Qiqiu City today? Could he have come for Shui Yongquan? Li Banfeng had placed Shui Yongquan in Qiu Luoye's care. To this day, Shui Yongquan's memories remained unrestored, and he couldn't even string together a complete sentence. Qiu Luoye had also worried that Chu Shaoqiang was targeting Shui Yongquan. Refusing to waste words, he was about to attack when Chu Shaoqiang saw Li Banfeng arrive and called out, "Li the Seventh, you've come at the right time. I wanted to ask Qiu Luoye to pass a message to you, but I didn't expect him to harbor such deep misunderstandings about me." Qiu Luoye shouted, "Old Seventh, don't listen to his nonsense! This man definitely harbors ill intent." Li Banfeng asked Chu Shaoqiang, "If you have something to say, say it right here." "The Peddler is dead." Chu Shaoqiang uttered only four words, but they made Li Banfeng's skull buzz. The Peddler... Dead? Qiu Luoye stared at Chu Shaoqiang and sneered, "Bullshit! How could the Peddler die? Who could kill the Peddler? Spit it out clearly!" Chu Shaoqiang could indeed explain it clearly: "You haven't seen the Peddler in quite some time, have you? I only received word today. Three days ago, the Peddler fought a life-and-death battle with the man from heaven. The Peddler lost and was slain by the man from heaven." Qiu Luoye fell silent. Whenever the Peddler met the man from heaven, they fought to the death. Every soul in Puluo Province believed that rumor to be true. And in this world, the only person capable of killing the Peddler was probably that being from above. Could this really be true? Qiu Luoye looked at Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng asked, "Where did your news come from?" "Don't ask about that. What I've heard is only this much." Chu Shaoqiang wasn't blowing soap bubbles, which proved he was telling the truth. "Whether this is true or false, you'd better verify it quickly. As far as I know, the Inner States have already received word. "If the Peddler is truly dead, the Inner States will soon march into Puluo Province. What the consequences of that war would be, you can guess without me spelling it out. "I came to tell you this so you can prepare early. You have many dealings with the Inner States. When the war truly begins, you'll be able to preserve yourself, and you should be able to protect Huaiyuan as well. "Huaiyuan is stubborn and naive. When war breaks out, she will definitely try to fight the Inner States to the death. For the sake of her sincere devotion to you, lend her a hand and save her life." Qiu Luoye said, "Leaving your own daughter alone, why must you entrust her to our Old Seventh?" Chu Shaoqiang fell silent for a moment before replying, "I will naturally do my part, but my life is held in the Inner States' hands. If I lose my life, Huaiyuan can only be entrusted to you. Gentlemen, farewell." Chu Shaoqiang departed. Li Banfeng stayed silent for a long time. Qiu Luoye sighed. "Who knows if what that bastard said is true or false. It's true that I haven't seen the Peddler for quite some time." "What on earth is the origin of the man from heaven? Why must he and the Peddler be locked in mutual destruction?" Qiu Luoye shook his head. "I don't know much about the man from heaven either. But we have to investigate this; we can't blindly trust Chu Shaoqiang. As long as the Peddler is alive, the Inner States shouldn't dare to invade—they've suffered losses before. But if something really happened to the Peddler, a bloody war is likely unavoidable." How to investigate? Last time at Iron Gate Fort, Li Banfeng had left word with Song Qianhun to notify him immediately upon getting any news. To this day, Song Qianhun hadn't replied. After the Peddler appeared at Iron Gate Fort that time, he seemed to have vanished without a trace. Li Banfeng didn't know how many relatives or friends the Peddler had. The Peddler had only mentioned having more than one sweetheart, but had never revealed their names. Where else could he check? If the Inner States intended to wage war, then investigate the Inner States. Chu Shaoqiang's news might have originated from there. Li Banfeng first headed to Ma the Fifth's territory and found Feng Daiku. "I'd like to ask Luo Lijun about something." Feng Daiku said, "Can you tell me what it's about? That way, I can offer some help when the time comes." Li Banfeng said, "The Inner States might be deploying troops for war." Feng Daiku could hardly believe it. "That shouldn't be possible, right? They just suffered a defeat against the Outer States and likely took heavy losses. Would they dare go to war with Puluo Province now?" Li Banfeng lowered his voice. "Word is that something happened to the Peddler." Hearing that something had happened to the Peddler, Feng Daiku's expression instantly changed. If something truly had happened to the Peddler, the Inner States waging war made far more sense. Feng Daiku gave a few instructions to Ma the Fifth and hurried off with Li the Seventh to Qishuiyao. Arriving at the factory floor, Feng Daiku walked up to the edge of the pool and tossed a petal into the water. The surface of the pool rippled gently, slowly revolving and steadily picking up speed until a vortex formed, pulling the petal down into the depths. "Young Master Li, since we didn't arrange this in advance, it's hard to say when Luo Lijun will receive the message. We'll have to wait here for a while." As for how long it would take, Feng Daiku couldn't say for sure. Burning with anxiety, Li Banfeng could only wait. *** Inside the companion dwelling, in the Ninth Room. Ever since the old man fell asleep, the voice of the Lady of the Ninth Room had been lingering by the red lotus's ear: "That woman is staying outside for longer and longer. If you'd listened to me, you would have gotten out long ago." The red lotus felt that what lingered by its ear was not merely a voice, but also traces of chill. "Did you use a technique on me?" The Lady of the Ninth Room sighed. "If there isn't even this much trust between us, how can we accomplish anything?" The red lotus truly did not trust this Lady of the Ninth Room. "Once it's done, the one who gets to leave will be you. I doubt you'll take me with you." "Didn't I tell you? If I don't take you, you can expose me immediately, and I won't be able to leave either." "If I expose you and you spill everything we've talked about, will I still be able to stay in this place?" "Then just stay here forever. I shouldn't have wasted my breath on you—" As the two were arguing, the Lady of the Ninth Room suddenly went silent. Thinking the companion dwelling had awakened, the red lotus kept quiet as well. Before long, the room door softly swung open. The gramophone stood outside the threshold. "Sisters, it's so late and you're not asleep yet? What are you chatting about? Care to share it with me?" The red lotus said, "The lady in the Ninth Room thinks she has fine looks and wants to become a concubine to your man, but she's afraid you won't agree." The gramophone chuckled softly. "If she's truly endowed with both talent and beauty, I'd certainly see this good match through. Sister of the Ninth Room, step out and let your elder sister have a look at your figure and your face." The Lady of the Ninth Room spoke up: "We were only teasing. With my looks, how could I dare compare to the Mistress?" "Oh, I can hardly bear that title of Mistress. Last time my husband came looking for you to translate a few sentences, some misunderstanding occurred that made him so angry. Could you tell me what happened?" The Lady of the Ninth Room explained, "In truth, I do not understand the Ravsha script. Fearing the master of the house would mock me, I wrote down two lines at random. I never expected an expert to be in the house to see through me. I feel ashamed of this matter and am willing to accept whatever punishment the Mistress sees fit." "Punishment? Splendid," the gramophone agreed cheerfully. "Step outside, then, and take a beating." The Lady of the Ninth Room said in a meek voice, "Mistress, please abate your anger. I do not have a physical body at the moment, so this beating will have to remain on credit for now." "Borrow two copper coins today, and next year the interest rolls into three taels and three qian! Sister, don't keep debts—better settle the account early!" The record spun rapidly on the turntable, and the clatter of gongs and drums resounded. "I curse you, little scoundrel, for your wicked soul! Grown to an adult, you'll be an unfilial brute!" Just that single line of operatic verse forced a cry from the Lady of the Ninth Room. Pain—it was genuine, excruciating agony. Had the gramophone sung a few more lines, her very soul would have been shattered. Yet that single sung verse also woke the old man. "Ai, we're all family. A few slaps are enough; are you really trying to beat her to death?" Evidently, the lady in the Ninth Room had some wiles, and the old man felt some affection for her. "Since the old man has pleaded on your behalf, what more can I say? Sister of the Ninth Room, let this matter pass. Since we're family, let's play fewer tricks on one another from now on." The gramophone shut the door and walked away. The red lotus unfurled its petals, feeling the chill inside the room grow all the more intense. *** Li Banfeng waited on the factory floor for an entire night before a giant river snail emerged from the pool. Feng Daiku hurried forward. "Miss Luo, you're finally here." The river snail maiden flicked her antenna toward Feng Daiku and asked playfully, "Which Miss Luo are you looking for?" Was this not Luo Lijun? Could it be her younger sister? Feng Daiku couldn't tell the difference; the only person who could differentiate them in short order was seemingly Ma the Fifth. Yet Ma the Fifth wasn't here. Li Banfeng could only make a guess: "Are you Miss Yanjun?" Luo Yanjun beamed with joy. "Seventh Young Master actually recognizes me! What an affectionate, fine young man." As she spoke, she rubbed her antenna against Li Banfeng's body. Li Banfeng dodged the antenna and asked, "There is something I would like to ask you, Miss. Are you preparing to deploy troops for war?" Luo Yanjun lingered by the edge of the pool for a moment, then replied, "I don't understand military matters. I'm only in charge of acquiring land. I've been very busy lately and have acquired quite a bit of territory." Compared to Luo Lijun, Luo Yanjun preferred living in harmony with Puluo Province; she did not want war. She would do her best to drop hints for Li the Seventh, but the prerequisite was that it could not compromise her own safety. Thus, her words had to be understood obliquely. Li Banfeng broadly caught the drift of her statement. Acquiring land was definitely related to war. The exact connection remained unclear for now, but one thing was certain: the Inner States were indeed gearing up for conflict. Li Banfeng played along and said, "Acquiring so much land all at once must be very exhausting." Luo Yanjun shook her head. "Hardly exhausting, just a bit troublesome. Acquiring land requires soil, and getting soil means excavating mountains. There's a mountain with plenty of soil that I'd like to dig into, but I'm afraid I won't be able to budge it." Li Banfeng asked, "Because the soil is too hard?" Luo Yanjun said, "Not just because the soil is hard, but because there's a tiger on that mountain that isn't easy to cross. If that tiger is home, I won't go dig up that mountain. But if the tiger isn't home, I'm definitely taking that soil." Li Banfeng was worried about precisely this issue. "Do you think the tiger is home?" Luo Yanjun pondered for a moment. "I can't say for sure either. But quite a few of the leopards and serpents serving under that tiger have been killed lately, yet the tiger hasn't let out a single roar. I'm guessing that even if this tiger is home, it must have run into trouble—perhaps it's injured, or perhaps it's already dead." Li Banfeng understood this point clearly: quite a few of those leopards and serpents had indeed been killed by his own hand. Luo Yanjun went on, "I plan to head up the mountain and strike an old fox. If the tiger still doesn't stir, that will prove he isn't home—or perhaps the tiger is already gone for good." Li Banfeng asked, "Do you know where the fox is?" Luo Yanjun waved her antenna at Li Banfeng with an alluring flourish. "Foxes are cunning and hard to track down. But if he has to do work for the tiger, there will always come a time when he can't stay hidden."