Second Epilogue
Mu Ehuang
Absolutely nothing has happened in Yanzhou since that fox spirit was slain. I never knew that hunting a smuggler would be such a tiresome and thankless work.
I suppose that’s my fault for thinking I would get an interesting case for my first assignment.
Still, I at least can’t complain about my choice of traveling companions.
Ren Shang, I have known so long that he’s practically a brother to me, and Xiao Wen is also practically family seeing as his cousin married my sister.
And at least I was able to get some rare ingredients at the ghost market.
I look up from my scroll where I am writing down about the climate in Yanzhou and what plants commonly grow there as Ren Shang steps up to me. I arch my brow, looking up at him.
“Since we are returning to the Imperial City soon, I was wondering if you could give this to your sister.” He leans forward and places a small vial on the table next to me.
“I hear that she personally fought the fox spirit with her magic and killed it. So, I made this tonic that will help her reclaim her inner energy.”
I blink, staring up at Ren Shang. He seems uncommonly uncomfortable today. Fidgeting and twitching terribly. Is he upset about hearing that we will be returning to the Imperial City? Maybe he prefers life on the road.
I nod once to let him know that I got his message.
“Thank you.” He smiles at me and hurries away.
I return to my findings but not a second later, Xiao Wen strides up, waving his fan nonchalantly. I wonder if that fan was a gift from his family because he seems very fond of it. “What did he want?” Wen asks, his eyes darting in the direction that Ren Shang went.
“Oh, he just wanted to deliver this tonic.” I reach out, tapping the vial with the back of my pen.
Wen tilts his head, looking confused. “Did I misjudge him?” he mumbles to himself. Then he leans forward, his eyes locked on me. “What is in that tonic?”
I look up startled. Is he asking me because I’m an alchemist? “I wouldn’t know since I neither made it nor tasted it. It’s a cultivation tonic for Fanqing. It’s supposed to help her replenish her inner energy.”
Wen seems to relax just a bit as he straightens. “Ah… Fanqing.” He makes a clicking sound as he stares after Ren Shang. “It seems I didn’t misjudge him. Unfortunately for him, that just won’t end well.”
I look up startled. “What won’t end well?”
Wen throws me a befuddled look before he shakes his head. “Oh, you are helpless yourself.” He strides off, waving his fan arrogantly, and not answering my question at all even though I think I deserve to know.
After all, it involves my sister.
I push half out of my seat and call after him. “What won’t end well?”
But either Wen doesn’t hear me or he chooses to ignore me, leaving me sitting here with my questions, a vial of tonic, and my half-written notes.