23. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Xiao Wen
Mu Ehuang has far too much nervous energy, it’s giving me a headache and making me feel exhausted.
I stifle a yawn behind my fan as she continues to pace in front of me.
At least I was able to convince her to come up to the private room instead of making this display downstairs.
Not that there are still many people having their supper at this late hour.
“I can’t believe it, that creature really attacked my sister out there in broad daylight.”
I sigh inwardly. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it to her.
Shu had sent me a message to keep an especial eye on Ehuang after what happened to Fanqing.
I was the idiot who conveyed the information to Ehuang.
How was I supposed to know that it would drive her into this nervous tizzy? After all, Fanqing is safe, isn’t she?
I made certain to express that she was safe before I even told Ehuang anything. And that only seemed to make her more upset.
Nervous girl. How does she get through life being this fraught with emotions?
My cousin faces countless perils every day and you don’t see me losing my mind over it. Because I know that no matter how annoying he is, Zhan Quanyu is there by his side. For all his faults, Quanyu is a peerless swordsman.
If he was protecting Fanqing then really nothing would have happened to her. Nothing could have happened.
But Ehuang has decided to turn a deaf ear to my assurances and instead wants to fret away.
I turn to the table next to me, picking up a cup of tea and taking a sip. This is going to be a long night. How long until Ehuang’s energy gives out? Surely, she must need extra sleep at night to be able to act the way she does every day.
Every movement and word is flagrant and unnecessary.
She says with twenty words, what could be said with two.
She runs instead of walking. She’s always waving her arms and kicking her feet as if she is accomplishing something with those gestures instead of just being wasteful.
She doesn’t understand the concept of energy conservation in the slightest.
“I’m worried about Shang Shang,” she says suddenly, turning.
I choke on my tea, feeling my eyes round at the sudden change of subject.
What does this have to do with Ren Shang?
He is a capable enough fellow, a cultivator at that.
He can certainly handle himself. In fact, during the time of our partnership I usually leave him to handle himself and he in turn leaves me to my own affairs.
It has always been the beauty of our partnership.
“He’s been gone too long,” Ehuang says, holding up a single finger. “I need to go find him.”
“Ren Shang is investigating the ghost market,” I say with a heavy sigh. “Which is certainly no place for a girl like you.”
Ehuang raises her chin, stretching her spine as if trying to make herself appear taller.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.
While here in Yanzhou I am a minister of justice.
Justice is impartial to sex and as its agent, I am as well.
So, as a minister of justice, I am going to go check in on the whereabouts of my fellow investigator.
You are welcome to come with me if you like, but if you would rather just stay hiding in this room then I won’t force you.
” She turns on her heel; her skirts flare around her boots as she marches out with her hands clenched.
“Sure, that’s a lofty speech until you get your liver eaten by a creature that specifically hunts pretty young girls,” I grumble to the empty room. I sigh loudly, as I place my cup on the table and climb to my feet. “Mu Ehuang wait for me.”
I curse Shu with every step that I take. Why did he have to go and get married and leave me babysitting his sister-in-law? I tuck my free hand behind my back as I catch up with Mu Ehuang, furiously fanning myself to show my frustration. “Do you even know how to get to the Ghost Market?”
“I just thought I would ask around,” she replies with a shrug.
I snap my fan shut. “People are getting murdered and their livers ripped out.”
Ehuang turns to me; up this close I’m stunned by how large her eyes are. That is perhaps a key difference between her and Fanqing, Ehuang has larger eyes. “We can’t live our lives in fear. Don’t worry, I will keep you safe.”
I snort, opening the fan and begin aggressively waving it, letting the air lift my hair away from my face.
Impudent girl.
“Well, are you coming?” she asks, then she takes off with her ridiculous little walk where she takes too large of steps and finishes with a little hop so she can land the step, waving her arms with every step.
I press my lips into a grim line and force myself to follow along behind.
By the end of this life, my cousin will owe me a thousand times over. He will have to just continue to repay me into the next life. I smile slightly at that thought. Shu will owe me too much to ever escape me, in this life or the next.
When we step out into the dark street, Ehuang falters, glancing at me nervously.
I sigh and step past her, leading the way to the Ghost Market.
From what I have heard it is on the east side of the city, fortunately I managed to spy Quanyu’s maps when he was discussing business here with Shu.
I do still listen in on all their smuggling talk because the better I understand the business the better I can protect Shu using my position as an investigator.
Fortunately, I don’t have too much to worry about today.
Shu is likely out there making connections right now, but I know that he will be careful.
He knows that Ren Shang is in the city, and he knows that man is as relentless as a bloodhound.
He knows that Gao Liying is in charge of the guards and that she is utterly obsessed with him.
And he knows that a killer is on the loose, providing him the perfect cover to be here.
Ehuang skips along beside me, craning her head as she studies the streets. They’re well-lit with lanterns. Normally I wouldn’t think anything of it, but it is a bit disconcerting to know that a shapeshifting killer lurks these streets. One that would probably love to snatch up Ehuang.
I keep a close watch on her out of the corner of my eye.
We follow the main street most of the way, but once we reach the eastern end of town, I lead us down a few narrow alleyways until we come upon a large stairway that descends down into the ghost market.
Rags hang from the arch above the stairwell and flutter in the air as some sort of ominous warning that we are leaving the world of convention and entering a place where any rule goes and the law is not strictly upheld.
In the ghost market, it is more of a survival of the strongest. I tighten my fingers around my fan.
I am well versed in martial arts, training under the same master as Shu when I was younger to fulfill my role as a spirit catcher before the Fourth Family’s massacre and I turned to politics and the stars.
I could probably take on anyone in this ghost market armed with only this fan.
But just because I can fight doesn’t mean that I want to.
Shu has always preferred his sword, but I prefer my words. Fighting is a last resort if extortion and manipulation fail. Which is the true irony of life, because of the two of us, I am the more ruthless. Shu is the more violent.
Perhaps it is a natural balance there to keep us Xiaos in place. After all, we were born with great power, forged by great heartache, and now are the only ones capable of holding the other back.
Ehuang spins in a small circle, craning her head back as she takes in the Ghost Market.
Down a bit of a way I can see the crowded streets of merchants hawking their very likely illicit wares, scraps of materials flap in the cool evening breeze.
Masks hang from the walls, with gruesome faces painted across them to ward off evil.
“It isn’t too late to turn back now if you’ve changed your mind,” I say as I watch her out of the corner of my eye.
She turns to me and smiles, an expression of pure mischief. “I was about to say the same thing to you.”
I roll my eyes and start down the stairs into the ghost market.
At least this has one benefit. Once I find Ren Shang, I can make certain that he doesn’t get too close to my cousin.
Usually, I like to give Ren Shang a certain amount of space in this cat and mouse game that I play with him.
He is a clever man, and I don’t want him to begin suspecting me, so I give him the illusion of freedom by not interfering in his investigation.
At the same time, I lay out false trails and fake leads to keep him from ever unraveling this mystery.
However, with Mu Ehuang here I have an excuse to keep a closer eye on him. I can more thoroughly protect Shu, especially while we are here and he insists on building connections to the Ghost Market when he should be laying low and playing it safe.
And that is exactly why I have to be the ruthless one, because Shu is the reckless one.
I have to do whatever it takes, use anyone I have to in order to keep him safe.
I don’t care about anything else in this unforgiving realm.
Just Shu. And I will backstab whoever it takes to keep his secret from being found out. Even a decent fellow like Ren Shang.
Ehuang keeps pace beside me, her hands clasped behind her back as she moves her head back and forth, admiring the stalls on each side of the narrow street as though she is shopping at a regular market.
I sigh, shaking my head. At the same time, Ehuang gasps out and reaches out, grasping my sleeve.
This brings me to a full stop. I stare down at her hand, trying to comprehend the impudence I am witnessing; however, Ehuang doesn’t even seem to notice.
Her eyes are fixed on the signage of a store to the right of us. It reads Rare Herbs.