30. Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty
Mu Fanqing
I’m surprised that the fox spirit has not tried to reach out to me lately and demand I help her prove her innocence or else she will give away my secret.
Not that I’m all too worried about that.
I sent Chenghou away earlier today in preparation.
She cannot accuse me of having a dragon if I have no dragon in my possession.
But she hasn’t said anything, not even when I went there with Shu today. She didn’t even spare me a second glance as though she had no idea who I was.
I will admit, my plan had flaws. The fox spirit was supposed to be dead by now, not sitting happily in a jail cell. I almost wonder if I need to go kill her myself just to keep her quiet. I suppose that would be an appropriate response to blackmail.
It just all seems so messy to me. I’m starting to see why my father chose to stay out of politics. It just always escalates till there’s no other alternative but to bloody your own hands or else all your sins will come to light.
Using other people is unpredictable, you can never be completely certain of how they might react in any given situation.
I underestimated how careful Shu would be. Given his ruthless reputation, I thought he cut down spirts and asked questions only after the fact. However, it seems as though he is really working to make certain that he does not wrong an innocent.
Not that I think the second lady is innocent, after all, she was found with a dead body in her chambers.
But when I pressed Shu about that he simply insisted that every crime is nuanced and that nothing should be taken at face value.
I file that away for future reference. If I’m going to help Shu as a fellow investigator, then I am going to have to do better.
I realize that I may have grown up a bit na?ve.
In my formative years, I was protected by my father’s and mother’s love, and then after I grew up, I spent my entire life since sequestered away at the academy with other like-minded scholars.
I studied and cultivated, blissfully unaware of all the ugly things that were happening outside the academy’s walls.
I rest my hands on my knees, pondering this as Shu steps out from behind the screen partitioning part of our room off.
He is not dressed for bed like I expected him to be.
Instead, he is dressed all in black, his hair half up and half down.
He has a sword in one hand and is holding up a black strip of cloth in the other. “I’m going out tonight,” he says.
I feel my eyebrow shoot up in surprise. Shu spent the day running all over the governor’s mansion, interviewing servants, searching the courtyard for any bloodied weapons or clothes, and meeting with the coroner and guards.
And now he wishes to go out tonight? Likely on smuggling business, since night is the only time he would have available to do this with his days so busy investigating.
I worry about his health, and my mind is filled with thoughts of him falling asleep on a rooftop.
“Is Quanyu coming with you?” I ask instead.
Shu shakes his head. “He is following a lead in the case, trying to track down the servant’s sister. I should be fine alone for tonight.”
I push to my feet. “I’ll come with you.”
Now it’s Shu’s turn to stare at me with confusion. “You’re far too noticeable,” he says at last his eyes moving down my red dress. “If someone recognizes you then they would surely know who I am even if I wear a mask.”
I push to my feet and grab his mask out of his hand.
“Who said anything about hiding, we will proceed in front of everyone. It will be less suspicious if Ren Shang or my sister sees you traveling with me. I will stay back out of sight while you meet with whoever you need to see and then we can head back together.”
Shu still doesn’t look convinced, so I quickly hide the mask behind my back to keep him from snatching it back. I tilt my head as I stare at him, smirking slightly. “Besides, isn’t this the first night of the lantern festival? I want to see the city streets.”
Shu turns away, blowing out a breath before he finally nods. “All right fine.” He holds up a finger, pointing it in my face. “But you need to stay out of trouble and out of sight while I’m meeting with my informant.”
I roll my eyes. “Please, you’re the one who needs help staying out of trouble.”
Shu huffs a small chuckle before he holds out his arm. “All right then, wife, are you ready to be off?”
I slide my hand through the crook in his arm, smiling sweetly up at him. “Naturally, husband.”
Shu glances at me out of the corner of his eye, a devilish smirk playing at his features. I’m about to demand what exactly he means by that expression when his arm drops. As my hand slides downward, he reaches back snagging it before he takes off running toward the window.
My mouth open, a protest frozen on my lips as Shu leaps through the window, holding it open with one hand.
He turns, releasing the window and it bounces on his shoulders as he grabs me under my arms and lifts me through.
His hand goes back up, catching the windowpane to hold it over our heads as he takes off running again.
The set of rooms we are staying in are to the far west of the governor’s mansion so there is only a small bit of courtyard before we reach the wall that surrounds the entire mansion.
“What are you—” I begin as Shu turns, scooping me up into his arm. He leaps into the air, kicking off one large rock and the corner of the wall before he reaches the top. Once at the top, he jumps down and lands on the other side seamlessly.
He sets me down. I reach up, pressing my fingers into my temple. I feel a bit disoriented by how fast we just ran. “We could have just gone out through the front gate,” I mutter as I reach up, adjusting my hair.
Shu is grinning at me shamelessly. “Now where would have been the fun in that?”
I pull away, smacking Shu in the arm. He catches my hand, threading his fingers through it as we start strolling along the street.
He points to the ropes hanging between the buildings, scattered with hanging lanterns offering a lovely golden glow.
The people of Yanzhou were busy today setting this all up while we were off investigating a murder. “Look, there’s your lanterns.”
“They’re delightful,” I say with a sigh.
This close to the governor’s mansion, the streets are relatively vacant.
It will be closer to the heart of the town where the majority of the crowd will be, and the merchants will be hawking their wares.
Masks, fireworks, treats, lanterns. I haven’t attended a lantern festival in a while, I was too busy with my cultivation, but I fondly remember the ones from my childhood.
Many people will be out tonight. It’s the opportune moment for Shu to operate unseen in the ghost market. I can see why he would insist on conducting business tonight even if he is likely exhausted from all his investigative work.
“I will get you a lantern of your own later,” he says.
I glance toward Shu, feeling my heart warm slightly at his offer. And the fox spirit wanted me to kill this man… she’s mad. He literally gives me everything I have ever wanted without me even having to ask.
“And what if I’m craving something sweet as well later?” I ask, tilting my head as I swing Shu’s hand back and forth.
“I’ll get you a candied haw,” he concedes. “Or a sugar stick.”
“Why not both?”
“You’re going to bankrupt me with your expensive taste,” he says with a chuckle.
I stick my lip out, pretending to sulk just the same as Shu is pretending like he isn’t one of the wealthiest men in the realm.
He raises my hand, patting it on the back.
“All right, all right, I will buy you all the treats you want and then carry them all for you while you enjoy the festival. How does that sound?”
I beam up at him. “It sounds like you have a deal, My Lord.”
“I will just view this as a business expense. After all, I am doing it to buy your silence.”
My mouth drops open with surprise. “You!” I snap. “I’m keeping your secret of my own decision; there was no bribery involved.”
“You say that now, but if I don’t get you a lantern tonight, I have a feeling that my secret will be out to the world.” Shu glances upward, pointing at the roofs of the nearby houses. “You know, we would probably have an even better view of the lanterns if we were up there.”
I yank my hand out of his hold and jump back. “Not a chance. No more carrying me around while you do your martial arts. You make me too dizzy.”
Before Shu can insist, I reach into my pouch, pulling out a talisman for flight and activate it. I leap into the air, holding my arms out for better balance as I soar upward. My foot lands on the edge of the roof and I turn just as Shu jumps up behind me.
I watch him move, lithely and swift like a tiger. He is all strength and poise. As I watch him, I find myself wondering whose skills are actually better. Him with his martial arts or me with my magic.
“See if you can catch me,” I throw over my shoulder with a smirk.
I take two steps toward the edge of the roof before I leap off, dancing across the wind as I move to the next rooftop. Shu lets out a startled cry but when I glance at him over my shoulder I see that he is just behind me, running and leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
We race this way all the way to the outskirts of the ghost market before Shu finally catches up with me. He grasps me around the waist, stopping me in my tracks. Unfortunately, he also has the effect of stopping my heart.
He was right, the lanterns up here are absolutely stunning.
Especially since at that moment, someone starts releasing fireworks.
In a second the inky black sky is transformed by vibrant sparks of color.
Red and blue, yellow and orange all light up the sky as they explode one after another.
Their colorful arms reach out as if trying to touch the stars.
I turn to Shu, freezing when I see that he is standing so close to me. The breath stalls in my throat as I take in his handsome chiseled features illuminated by the blasting fireworks.
“I’m going to need my mask now,” he says, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile.
It takes me far too long to process what he said. I give my head a sharp shake, trying to clear my thoughts. I pull it out of my sleeve, but instead of giving it to him, I study it for a second. I glance up at him. “And when do I get one of these?”
“Who said you needed one?” he asks arching his brow.
“I know your secret,” I say. “Doesn’t that make me your partner in crime now?”
Shu holds my gaze as he slowly leans forward.
I have completely forgotten how to breathe as his fingers encircle my wrist. He draws it closer and grasps the mask.
I think he is going to leave, but then he reaches up and flicks my nose with his knuckle.
“I suppose we will have to get you a mask as well, and an outfit to go along with it.”
I bite down on my lip as my heart soars. Excitement and nervousness have set every nerve in my body on alert. Maybe I can now see why Shu smuggles, who knew a life of crime could be this thrilling?
“Wait for me,” he says with a nod before he turns and leaps off the building, descending into the ghost market below.