014To be wise and preserve oneself

Upon reaching the steps of the porch, Qishan lifted her hand to remove her hat, bending down to place her wooden clogs neatly side by side. She lifted her dress and ascended the steps barefoot, then fetched a ladle hanging on a wooden post and scooped rainwater from a basin below the veranda to rinse off the mud on her feet. 

Shentang also took off her clogs, instinctively searching for indoor shoes but finding none. Qishan rolled up the soiled hem of her dress and fastened it at her knees, then took out a dedicated cloth from her sleeve to wipe the water stains off her feet before handing the ladle to Shentang. Their movements were brisk, yet the middle-aged man had already taken off his ill-fitting clogs with worn-out soles, stepping barefoot onto the wooden steps, leaving behind a few wet footprints tainted with mud. Despite the cleanliness of the courtyard and the presence of pebbles in many places, the heavy rain still formed puddles of muddy water, easily soiling one's feet.

Seeing the two women bustling about, he chuckled. "Please feel free, no need to go through all this trouble." Upon hearing the man's words, Shentang quickly rinsed her feet with two ladlefuls of water, then tossed the ladle into the basin with a clatter before stepping onto the wooden steps. Qishan's tone carried a hint of sternness as she reminded him, "Child, where are your manners?" Shentang waved to him with a smile. "Isn't it said that guests should follow their host's lead? Brother is being overly polite. Come up and take shelter from the rain."

Qishan took a deep breath, seemingly at a loss for Shentang's actions, and turned to apologize to the middle-aged man. However, the man was well-mannered, maintaining a smile throughout and repeatedly assuring them that it was no trouble at all. There was not a hint of displeasure on his face. On the contrary, he praised Shentang for her lively and genuine nature.

Qishan sighed, "But my brother, even at the age of twelve, still acts so recklessly. I worry that he will suffer greatly in the future..." The middle-aged man's expression stiffened slightly. "Your brother? Is this a young lad?" Qishan nodded. "Yes, my younger brother at home. He takes after our mother in appearance, and because of his masculine features, he has often been misunderstood over the years."

The middle-aged man chuckled awkwardly, admitting to his mistake of mistaking a young lad for a delicate maiden. He then led the two of them to a side room, suggesting they wait there until the rain subsided, or they could stay the night if the rain persisted. Suddenly, the middle-aged man remembered, "I recall there's still a pot of ginger soup warming in the east kitchen. Would you like to have some to warm yourselves up?"

Qishan thanked the middle-aged man with a nod. The man said, "Please wait a moment."

As his footsteps gradually faded away, Shentang suppressed her playful smile, her expression turning serious and grave. "This man is lying, riddled with flaws in his story. Whether he goes to the east kitchen to fetch ginger soup or not, we must be cautious."

Qishan nodded in agreement. "Indeed, we must be vigilant. The village head mentioned that Ayan suffers from a mental disorder. He was abandoned at the Zhuangzi from birth, neglected and disregarded, leading to negligence from the servants. This is evident from the children's clothes hanging in the courtyard. Yet, this man claims Ayan as his son. Absurd!"

Inside the room, Shentang wandered around, occasionally touching the ornaments with her fingers. Her fingertips were clean, devoid of any dust. Near the leaky window were two neatly arranged writing desks, one large and one small, separated by bookshelves to divide the room into different areas. Shentang picked up a bamboo scroll from the table and opened it, finding it to be educational material for children, with both adult handwriting and children's doodles on it.

She remarked, "The cleanliness of the place is quite impressive. It seems that the servants do work to some extent... However, on such a stormy day, when the wind and rain could blow a thatched hut to the heavens, it's unreasonable that no one came out to retrieve the clothes hanging in the courtyard."

Qishan replied calmly, "Furthermore, that man, dressed as a scholar, carries an air of fierceness, with a fierce gaze and a strong presence. He resembles more a ruffian than a scholar, and his mouth is full of lies. I'm concerned that it's not a matter of unwillingness to retrieve them, but an inability..."

Or perhaps, a lack of life to do so.

Shentang raised an eyebrow. "Is he a bandit?"

Qishan responded, "In times of turmoil, banditry and robbery are not uncommon."

Not only are they not uncommon, but for some, they have become the sole means of livelihood, even bringing wealth and prosperity to entire villages.

"In that case, our prospects seem bleak."

"It's highly likely there won't be any survivors. Whether they are bandits or thieves, they certainly aren't the owners of this estate."

Failing to find Ayan and stumbling upon a murder case instead, Shentang drew in a sharp breath.

Qishan chuckled, "Shentang, are you afraid?" Even he found it hard to believe he had said that. 

Shentang plopped down onto the cushion, blinking. "I'm a law-abiding citizen. How could I not fear such ruthless criminals who might annihilate an entire family? Mr. Qishan, we've walked into the wolf's den, surrounded by hungry wolves...," she said, pulling out the hatchet tucked into her waist. She concealed it with her clothes, so the middle-aged man wouldn't see. Without Qishan's sword, the only thing they could rely on was this hatchet. 

Gripping the handle, she felt a bit safer. Truth be told, she couldn't understand why a homebody like her, a calligrapher and painter, had to experience such thrilling events. 

Although... Although she had killed an official and calmly accepted the consequences afterward, she believed it was self-defense. Coupled with the lingering influence of this body, which couldn't lift a finger or bear a burden, it revealed a ferocious and cold-blooded side of her.

She herself is quite amiable. After all, what kind of malicious intentions could there be in the heart of an artist who, despite being pressured by editors and scolded, still dares to be angry but not speak?

Qishan remained silent.

"We've entered the lion's den, but who the wolf dining among us is remains to be seen." His expression turned numb when he heard the words "upholding the law" from Shentang, and he bluntly retorted with a smile, "Law-abiding citizens wouldn't become fugitives."

Little did he know, Shentang replied, "Mr. Qishan, you are unaware of my grievance. If I were to die without justice on the route of exile, or on the bed in the Xiaocheng brothel, and if in the future the higher authorities realize there was still an innocent like me, it would be too late, leaving only regrets. To prevent this tragedy from unfolding and to uphold justice, I must safeguard my own life, which makes becoming a fugitive reasonable and justifiable."

Qishan was left speechless. As he watched Shentang speak so confidently, he couldn't help but feel that despite his age, he lacked the thick skin of a young lad. Just as he was about to say something, Shentang's smile abruptly disappeared from her face. She stood up straight, gazing towards the direction outside the door, and raised a finger to her lips, gesturing for Qishan to remain silent. Before long, heavy footsteps drew nearer and nearer, as the middle-aged man approached carrying two bowls of steaming ginger soup.

"Apologies for the wait," Qishan said as he presented the bowls to Shentang and Qishan. Under the scrutiny of the middle-aged man, the two of them lifted their bowls, their eyes lowered to the brim, ready to take a sip. Seeing the two of them completely unguarded, the middle-aged man felt a surge of delight. 

But just as a hint of scorn was about to curl his lips, the next moment, a bowl of steaming ginger soup splashed across his face. Immediately after, the low table flew up, hurtling towards him.

Shentang splashed, Shentang overturned. Then—Shentang quietly retreated behind Shentang, calmly and composedly remarking, "Know when to yield as well as when to stand firm, for sometimes, withdrawing is the wisest course of action." 

Shentang: "???" 

Shentang: "!!!"