Chapter 15
After traveling for several days and changing horses three times, Yan Yunhe and Yu Qin were finally approaching Yunzhou.
On the eve of their arrival, Yan Yunhe chose to spend the night at a relay station. Surprisingly, he didn’t complain about its conditions and was uncharacteristically well-behaved.
It was only after finding sand in his rice for the third time that Yan Yunhe silently set down his bowl and switched to the tanghulu1 he had bought along the way.
Lord Yan may seem like a man who was fond of strong liquor and large meat dishes, but he actually preferred sweets. Since there were no available pastries on the road, tanghulu was a welcome substitute.
Yu Qin sat across from him, eating a bowl of plain noodles. The broth appeared completely devoid of oil.
Yan Yunhe bit into a hawthorn, wondering if Yu Qin had lost his sense of taste. How could he swallow something so bland?
After finishing his noodles, Yu Qin looked at the man across from him, who was munching on the sugar-coated hawthorns. His expression was hard to describe.
Yan Yunhe spat out a fruit pit, then licked the remaining sugar with the tip of his tongue like a child before taking another bite. His sharp canine teeth seemed capable of easily tearing through dried meat and crushing hard candy.
Yu Qin slowly withdrew his gaze as an inappropriate thought flashed through his mind: he's just like a wolf cub.
Unaware that Yu Qin had mentally transformed him into an entirely different species, Lord Yan took the initiative to speak. “I plan to go to Yunzhou first.”
“Why not proceed directly to Kaiping to mobilize the troops?” Yu Qin asked.
“These are turbulent times indeed, and there has been an increase in banditry in Huguang2 due to famine, but the sudden emergence of bandits in Yunzhou is still unclear. Something’s off about this whole matter,” Yan Yunhe explained.
Yu Qin tapped his finger against the table. “If Lord Yan enters Yunzhou alone, only to be caught like a turtle in a jar,3 what then?”
Yan Yunhe stroked his chin. “But Lord Yu is here, isn’t he? You wouldn’t really stand by and watch me come to harm, would you?”
Yu Qin’s expressionless stare made it clear that he very well might.
Yan Yunhe cleared his throat. “I learned from inside sources that Yunzhou remains peaceful at this moment.”
“Even the local magistrate can’t handle the bandits. How is Lord Yan so confident?” Yu Qin felt that Yan Yunhe was underestimating the enemy.
Yan Yunhe countered, “Local officials undergo inspections4 every three years. With the next one just three months away, bandits are wreaking havoc in Yunzhou. Not only that, but they’re so ruthless that the magistrate was forced to request imperial troops to suppress them.”
He shook his head, chuckling. “If such ferocious bandits truly exist, I’d gladly recruit them into the Divine Machine Battalion.”
Yu Qin narrowed his eyes, understanding Yan Yunhe’s implication. “You mean to say that the bandit invasion is nothing more than a colossal lie fabricated by the magistrate to earn merit?”
Such schemes were not unheard of. There had been a case where a local official had massacred hundreds of innocent citizens to inflate the number of bandits, all for the sake of advancing his career. It was only after the victims’ surviving relatives risked their lives to enter the capital and report the incident to the emperor that this horrific atrocity was finally exposed.
But Yan Yunhe denied this possibility. “The Chenzhou Village case caused such an uproar at the time that no official would dare take such a risk again. These bandits definitely exist, but the magistrate still needs to be investigated.”
Yu Qin followed his train of thought. “Although refugees can turn to banditry, as long as they can survive, the common folk wouldn’t resort to such desperate measures. However, a local official increasing taxes or forcibly seizing private farmland can incite popular uprisings. If that were the case, the magistrate would be held responsible. By labeling it a bandit uprising and requesting imperial troops for their suppression, it would be nearly impossible to conduct a proper investigation afterward.”
This is why Yan Yunhe enjoyed conversing with intelligent people. No need for lengthy explanations—they could naturally grasp his reasoning and anticipate his conclusions.
He nodded. “Dispatching troops from Kaiping and suppressing the bandits is easy. But if the worst-case scenario comes to pass…”
Yu Qin finished his thought: “Once the court investigates, the blame will fall on us.”
Yan Yunhe waved the skewer in his hand, as if teasing a child. “Correct! Here’s your prize!”
Yu Qin dodged the skewer that was nearly shoved into his mouth. “How do you plan to get into Yunzhou?”
“We certainly can’t just waltz in,” Yan Yunhe said, biting off the hawthorn Yu Qin had rejected. “Lord Yu, I’ll need your full cooperation.”
The next day.
The manager of the relay station led out the horses for the two officials, only to notice that their appearances had been drastically altered. If not for the authority tokens5 hanging at their waists, he wouldn’t have dared hand over the horses.
Yu Qin mounted his horse and glanced at Yan Yunhe. The once-dashing Young Master Yan now had lighter skin, ordinary facial features, and a prosperous build,6 resembling a wealthy merchant.
If Yan Yunhe was so skilled in disguise techniques, why had he only given him a fox mask to wear?
Yu Qin’s own appearance had changed as well, but not too much. His perfect features had been reduced to merely average.
Yan Yunhe’s reasoning was: “Lord Yu, I have to give my eyes some consideration. If you become too ugly, I couldn’t bear it.”
After entering the city, Yan Yunhe headed straight for the most luxurious inn and tossed a handful of silver coins before the innkeeper to secure the finest room in the establishment.
Yu Qin, standing beside him, silently turned to observe him.
Sensing Yu Qin’s gaze, Yan Yunhe wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. “You little rascal. Always fussing about staying in nice places,” he said. “I’ve already got the room all set up for you, so you’d better keep me good company tonight.”
“...”
Knowing Yu Qin wouldn’t risk exposing his identity by killing him here in Yunzhou, Yan Yunhe seized the opportunity to act as he pleased.
Unfazed by such a display, the innkeeper accepted the silver without a second glance and led them upstairs. As soon as they entered the room, Yan Yunhe immediately released Yu Qin and retreated as far as possible.
Surprisingly, Yu Qin didn’t retaliate. Instead, he said in a good-natured tone, “So, you’re posing as a wealthy merchant with a fondness for men. What’s the next step?”
Yan Yunhe dared not admit he’d merely acted on a whim to tease Yu Qin. But Yu Qin had unexpectedly provided him with a convenient excuse. He went along with it and said, “I’m going out for drinks later. You stay hidden nearby. If something goes wrong, get me out of there.”
Yu Qin mused, “You think the wine will be tampered with?”
Yan Yunhe scratched his cheek with his index finger. “Something like that…”
“With what? We should prepare antidotes.” Yu Qin’s expression was grave, as if Yan Yunhe were about to venture into a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair.7
Yan Yunhe chuckled dryly. “No need. My internal energy is strong. Those drugs will have no effect on me.”
That evening, Yu Qin finally understood what kind of wine Yan Yunhe was drinking and what kind of drugs were in it.
Yan Yunhe was drinking flower wine8 and consuming aphrodisiacs.
Men and women mingled in the room. Yan Yunhe held a woman on each arm, occasionally planting kisses on their faces, playing the role of a lustful ghost9 to perfection.
Yu Qin watched impassively, thinking that perhaps he wasn’t acting at all.
Yan Yunhe had used his connections to get in touch with the city’s merchants. Given the presence of bandits in Yunzhou, the merchants were undoubtedly their primary targets. As expected, after a few rounds of wine, Yan Yunhe casually inquired about the situation, prompting the merchants to pour out their grievances.
As Yan Yunhe listened, he noticed something odd. “You’re saying this group of bandits called the Qingyi Gang has been entrenched in the Heiyu Mountain Range for a long time, but they only started killing and looting half a month ago?”
The merchants exchanged glances and, for some reason, clamped their mouths shut.
Yan Yunhe feigned a troubled expression, explaining that he had long heard of Yunzhou’s renowned weaving industry and had several major deals in need for suppliers. However, he didn’t dare do business in Yunzhou given its current situation.
The merchants, all of whom owned weaving workshops, immediately perked up. One of them couldn’t help but say, “Actually, the Qingyi Gang might not even rob your goods. If you pay them a sum, they’ll not only spare your cargo but also escort you part of the way.”
Yan Yunhe was slightly surprised. This Qingyi Gang seemed to operate like an escort agency.
“Don’t try to deceive me, gentlemen,” Yan Yunhe said. “I heard on my way here that the magistrate has already petitioned the imperial court to send troops to suppress the bandits.”
A merchant in white robes patted Yan Yunhe’s shoulder. “The Qingyi Gang does love to rob caravans, but they rarely kill. This time, they brought disaster upon themselves because they provoked the wrong people.”
“Who?” Yan Yunhe asked, but the merchants refused to elaborate, instead coaxing him to drink more wine.
Not only did they urge him to drink, but they also summoned female and male courtesans to keep him company, clearly intending to get him drunk until he passed out.
Having gathered enough information, Yan Yunhe discreetly made a hand gesture, signaling Yu Qin to come to his rescue.
But he waited and waited, and Yu Qin had yet to appear. A growing sense of anxiety began to gnaw at him.
Yu Qin wouldn’t abandon him here, would he?
Just then, a thunderous crash echoed from the doorway. Amid the brothel keeper’s panicked cries, the door was kicked open with a single, violent kick.
The merchants were all frightened, turning to face the newcomer. Even Yan Yunhe was startled, not knowing what Yu Qin had come for with such murderous intent.
A courtesan stammered, “Young Master… what are you doing?”
Yu Qin’s gaze swept across the room, finally settling on Yan Yunhe. With a meaningful look, he declared, “I’m looking for an adulterer.”
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