The Diding Society

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Ling Zichong asked, casually twirling Tingting's long hair that had fallen onto the embroidered pillow.

"No." Tingting opened her eyes and snuggled closer into Ling Zichong's embrace.

She wasn't being honest. She shouldn't be having nightmares anymore.

Tingting's family had once held official positions. Her great-grandfather was a high-ranking official in charge of silk production in Changxiang. Back then, their family owned a vast estate with hundreds of servants and connections with sixteen noble families. Even her grandfather's name had been personally bestowed by the emperor. She had heard this family history countless times growing up. All her relatives talked about it, sighing, "If it weren't for the civil war, you would be a young lady of status now."

It was only when she grew older and studied for a few years that Tingting realized that the decline of her family had nothing to do with the civil war. Long before the defense of Mulan was breached and ships from the Eastern State began flooding Changxiang with fine clothing, the silk workshops in the Western State had already become mere shells.

Yet, this simple truth was unknown to her grandfather, uncles, or parents. She had never lived a single day as a young lady of status. She was born into a filthy, crowded yard. Her neighbors were all former workers from the silk workshop, and whenever they gathered, they would drink a few bottles of cheap wine and talk animatedly for hours about the glory days they never actually experienced. Her family had a very old maid, said to be the only one who had seen her great-grandfather. The old woman was mostly blind but still insisted on morning and evening salutations. Since Tingting was little, she had always heard her say:

"In the past, Miss should have had four wet nurses attending to her, a whole room of maids, and a footman to help her get on and off the carriage, with foot cushions made of ice-blue velvet."

"In the past, with Miss's looks, noblemen would have been breaking down the door to court her. She might have married into one of the sixteen noble families."

"In the past, if an old maid like me looked at Miss directly, she would have her eyes gouged out. Oh dear, oh dear, this old maid deserves to die..."

Tingting knew the old maid was speaking nonsense, but for some reason, when she reached marriageable age, she still couldn't find a suitor. She didn't care about wealth or status, and she didn't place much importance on appearance or talent, but she always felt uneasy, preventing her father from accepting any proposals. Her father asked, "What kind of person would satisfy you?" She thought about it, hesitated, and said nothing.

She feared saying something that would displease her father. She didn't know exactly what kind of person she wanted, but she knew what kind of person she didn't want. She was terrified of gloomy, lifeless, clingy families, and she feared a cocoon-like life.

She searched and waited until she met Ling Zichong.

She had finally found the man of her dreams: steady yet decisive, cheerful yet playful. Every word he said seemed to strike a chord in her heart. Most importantly, he was a man without a past.

When she decided to leave with him, Ling Zichong had hesitated and said, "You'll regret this."

Tingting replied, "Never."

So she left with him. In these three months, she had laughed more than she had in her entire life.

Tingting finally realized she had never truly lived in Changxiang City. This city had so many delicious foods and fun places. Whatever she wanted, Ling Zichong provided. He bought her dazzling silks, watched her set them on fire, bought whole ships of antiques, and watched her smash them one by one. He took her to the lakeside to watch the moon, rented out entire music halls to sing for her, and left immediately when she expressed dislike.

But in the dead of night, she began to dream again. She had once seen silk reeling as a child and could never forget it. Tens of thousands of silkworms, writhing in their cocoons, were doused in boiling water, turning everything silent. She had screamed in terror as a child, thinking it was the most horrifying fate—crawling day by day, eating bit by bit, wrapping oneself up, only to die silently when about to fly, with tens of thousands of corpses making a uniform "squeak."

So she kept dreaming, of a single silkworm with a wrinkled head and dark eyes, coldly staring at her as if foretelling something.

"What's wrong?" Ling Zichong tilted her chin to examine her closely. "Unhappy?"

"I'm scared," Tingting said. She suddenly felt it was more terrifying to be wrapped in cold silk than to sleep under musty, warm quilts.

"Scared of what?" Ling Zichong laughed, lighting the oil lamp beside him. "Silly girl, you have me."

Tingting buried her head in his chest, letting his hand stroke her hair. She timidly said, "Brother Chong, will you go ask my father for my hand?"

Ling Zichong's hand paused.

"My father will surely like you." Tingting raised her head slightly, with a hint of coquettishness. "You're not an ordinary person. You've seen the world, you..."

Ling Zichong gently kissed her mouth. He knew how to make a woman stop talking. After a while, he smiled and said, "Didn't we agree not to talk about this?"

Tingting looked at him tenderly. "But I'm scared... Promise me, Brother Chong. I'll live a steady life and take good care of you, okay?"

Ling Zichong's face showed a soft, dreamy smile. He kissed her forehead lightly. "Good girl, close your eyes and wait for me."

Tingting obediently closed her eyes. She liked these little surprises, and Ling Zichong never disappointed her.

Ling Zichong put on his clothes, tucked her in, blew out the lamp, and quietly walked out, closing the door without making a sound.

He grabbed the heavy wooden railing of the corridor, leapt into the small garden below, and sighed, looking up at the sky.

The night was cool and dreamy, with flowers blooming and the moon shining brightly.

Two shadows immediately stood up from the flower bushes, with a hint of surprise in their voices. "Master Ling, the boss has been waiting for you for three days."

"Enough with the nonsense, I'm going now." Ling Zichong scratched his messy hair, put on his shoes, stretched and yawned, then walked out.

"Master Ling..." One of the shadows pointed upstairs.

"Go ahead." Ling Zichong seemed tired. "Be quick and quiet. If you wake her up, I'll have your heads."

Without looking back, he jumped into an old well in the garden.

This well was one of the nine entrances to the largest underground organization in Xiangguo, the Diding Society.

The people on the surface had long been asleep, but the underground dealings were just beginning.

Ling Zichong navigated the familiar pathways, turning through spiderweb-like alleys, until he reached a hall about a hundred feet wide. A fire pit in the center burned brightly, and shadows flickered around it. Dozens of people were sitting at several tables, whispering and gesturing.

As soon as Ling Zichong entered, the murmuring stopped, and several alert gazes fell on him, quickly turning into loud laughter. "Hey, Master Ling is awake?"

"Shut up." Ling Zichong casually picked a table and sat down. Someone lit his cigarette, and he squinted.

"Quick, tell the boss!" The laughter grew louder. "Master Ling, you've been gone for three days. The boss has been in a foul mood. Our commission went up by thirty percent. If you drag it out for another half month, we'll be drinking northwest wind—who's the woman that kept you this time?"

Ling Zichong took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaling, clearly annoyed. "Enough nonsense. Don't poke at my sore spot. My sweetheart is gone, and I'm mourning. Where's Shao Yishi? If he doesn't come, I'm leaving."

With a loud noise, a door hidden in the stone wall was enthusiastically opened. A plump, round man ran out, shouting from a distance as if greeting an old friend. "Ah, Chong, you treacherous scoundrel, you finally came! Come on, let's talk inside. I've been waiting with drinks every day..."

The Diding Society had four leaders, known as the "Four Young Masters of the Capital." Ling Zichong, known as "Less Nonsense," and Shao Yishi, known as "Less Trouble," controlled almost all the underground transactions in Changxiang City. Rumors in the underworld said they were either best friends or mortal enemies. Nearly all their businesses were connected, but they avoided meeting, especially Shao Yishi, who almost never stepped above ground.

In the small, cramped room, only two people sat. The dishes on the table were exquisite but seemed to have been reheated several times. Ling Zichong glanced at them and lost his appetite, picking at the food with his chopsticks and frowning. "The meat is spoiled... the fish is dead... the vegetables are wilted... I really don't understand why you need so much money when you can't even spend it properly."

"Hey, if you don't want to eat, put it down. I'll treat again." Shao Yishi quickly stopped him, sticking his butt out to press his hand. "Let's talk business first. Where's the goods?"

Ling Zichong opened his mouth, using a sharp chopstick to pick at his back teeth. After a while, he pulled out a sticky, stinky little oil packet from his stomach and threw it to Less Trouble.

Shao Yishi turned his head away, handing over a cup of warm water for him to rinse his mouth while examining the oil packet.

"If you want to look, open it." Ling Zichong lit another cigarette.

"This thing is precious. If it spills, it would be a huge loss." Shao Yishi carefully put the oil packet into a small box by his side. "But your stuff is always good."

Ling Zichong laughed. "If you don't verify the goods, I won't acknowledge it once I leave."

Shao Yishi also laughed. "Alright, Chong, name your price."

Ling Zichong sat up. "Five million gold yuan."

Shao Yishi exclaimed, "Do you know the annual tax revenue of Changxiang City?"

Ling Zichong lazily replied, "How would I know? I'm not Qi Xiang's father."

Shao Yishi gritted his teeth. "I don't have that much cash."

Ling Zichong remained relaxed. "When have I ever asked you for cash?"

Shao Yishi leaned closer. "Four million." He raised his hand to stop Ling Zichong from speaking and continued, "Plus a penthouse. Achong, you've wanted a house in Uptown for a long time. Less trouble is better than more trouble. I'll take care of it for you, with all the necessary documents and deeds. I'll even throw in two women."

Ling Zichong laughed heartily. "You're still the best... but forget the women. I don't trust your taste or judgment."

Shao Yishi shook his head, looking aggrieved. "We've been brothers for so many years, Achong, and you still don't trust me. Everything I've done for you has been for your own good, hasn't it? Achong, I understand you like women, and I don't object, but... the most important thing is to be faithful. You can't keep having affairs, or you'll end up in trouble."

"What do you mean? What did you do?" Ling Zichong became instantly alert. "Shao Yishi, are you called Shao Yishi or Nosy Parker? What did you do to Cong'er? I warn you, if you mess with my people, don't blame me for messing with yours!"

As Ling Zichong spat out his words, Shao Yishi moved his seat back a little, almost to the point of tears. "Look at you! Do you have any loyalty left? Who did I mess with? I don't even know who Cong'er is... Calm down, I was just trying to cover for you, but it seems Qi Jiafu interfered."

"Qi Jiafu?" Ling Zichong poured himself a drink, slowly savoring the name. "That kid... getting bolder by the day. Is he coming after me or you?"

Shao Yishi forced a smile. "Of course, he's coming after you, Young Master Ling."

Ling Zichong acted as if he hadn't heard him. "If he's coming after you, I won't bother."

"Achong, don't be like this. We're like brothers." Shao Yishi moved his chair closer, looking particularly sincere. "Honestly, about the Wind Shadow Cavalry, I won't pretend I don't care. But to say I care a lot would be a lie too. Achong, that kid has been causing us trouble repeatedly. We've given Qi Xiang face several times, but he won't let it go. What does that mean? The Emperor is about to return, and Qi Xiang is in no position to protect himself. Why trouble us now? Is he trying to intimidate us or test us?"

"I don't know." Ling Zichong squinted, slowly finishing his pipe before giving Shao Yishi a cold smile. "I hate it when people beat around the bush. What do you want me to do? Name your offer."

Shao Yishi nodded with a smile. "Find out what he's up to, and bring him down here for a face-to-face chat."

Ling Zichong extended his hand, asking for the prize.

Shao Yishi shook his head silently.

Ling Zichong stood up to leave.

Shao Yishi called after him. "Hey, don't be so heartless. If you leave, don't come back!"

Ling Zichong turned back. "What do you mean?"

"The Li family's third son is coming tomorrow... You know how unreasonable he can be. Who knows what might happen? I'm timid, and I might just shut down all nine entrances." Shao Yishi shrank back, looking both innocent and troubled. "Achong, I don't want to interfere with you, but I have no choice. The Diding Society is so big, it needs a leader. Look around, who else is capable? I have to take charge. If you don't respect me and listen, how can I manage the business? I have to explain myself to the brothers. Who am I doing this for? For everyone's sake, including yours."

Ling Zichong laughed loudly. "Shao Yishi, for five years, whenever I got a house, you burned it down. Whenever I found a woman, you killed her. Yet you have the nerve to say it's for my own good. The Diding Society has become a den of murderers and smugglers, and you have the nerve to say it's for everyone's good?"

"Of course, it's for everyone's good," Shao Yishi said calmly, his face gentle. "The path was chosen by everyone. I never forced anyone, especially not you. If you really don't want to be here, you can go die. If you can't do it yourself, I can help. Achong, you've changed. You weren't always this cowardly and full of excuses."

"Well said." Ling Zichong nodded and walked away.

"Hey! Where are you going? When will you be back?" Shao Yishi called out.

"I'm going to find Qi Jiafu." Ling Zichong sneered, pushing a wall to reveal a hidden door. He stepped inside, his voice echoing down the corridor. "How could I dare not follow your orders?"

The table full of food and drink remained untouched. Shao Yishi sat down, pouring himself a drink. After a couple of cups, he shouted towards the door, "Achong, call the brothers in. I'm treating everyone to a meal."

Soon, there was a burst of laughter outside. The fat man, both sleazy and stingy, always did this, offering untouched food to his subordinates. Yet strangely, no one dared to refuse his meals.