Xiao Wangshu glanced at the clock in the middle of the night and was suddenly struck by the refined urge to admire the moon.
Unfortunately, he was no Dongpo, and by his side, there was no Zhang Huaimin to roam the night with.
Xiao Wangshu threw on his robe and stepped alone into the cold, quiet courtyard. Looking up, he saw that the sky was far from clear— thick clouds half-covered the heavens, only leaving a faint, hazy halo of the moon, its light dim and dull.
Xiao Wangshu couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
For some reason, he suddenly thought of Jiang Mingchuan.
There were two reasons for this.
First, his name contained the character “Ming” (bright), which also included half of the character for “moon.”
Second, this person himself was like the moon disk hidden behind the clouds before his eyes—shadowy, vague, hard to truly see for what he was.
What kind of person was he, really?
The Jiang Mingchuan Xiao Zhu spoke of was a warm-hearted good man, always acting with righteousness, looking after his fellow townsfolk, generously offering up the Dragon Bone, only to be driven out as a swindler by Xiao Zheng, suffering undeserved wrongs.
Yet, posted all over the streets was Jiang Mingchuan’s Wanted Poster.
The official notice was equally assertive, accusing him of being the vicious murderer of Zhang Good Man, a criminal deserving of death for his heinous crimes.
Xiao Zhu had said hesitantly, “Actually, the portrait on the Wanted Poster only looks about thirty percent like Master Jiang. Maybe it’s just someone with the same name.”
Jiang Mingchuan…
Xiao Wangshu silently mouthed the name in his heart.
Who are you, really?
Are you a swindler, a murderer, or an innocent, kind-hearted person?
Perhaps only Jiang Mingchuan himself could answer these questions.
But, regardless of what Jiang Mingchuan’s status was, it was not a reason for Xiao Zheng to insult him without cause.
He still owed him an apology.
…Besides, Jiang Mingchuan’s Dragon Bone was still lying in his own bedroom at this very moment.
If you take it without asking, you’re a thief.
Thinking of this, Xiao Wangshu’s cheeks grew a little hot.
He had always prided himself on being upright and aboveboard, never expected that one day, muddle-headed, he’d become a petty thief stealing someone else’s treasure.
Tasting the shame and annoyance in his heart, Xiao Wangshu made a decision.
He would investigate Master Zhang’s assassination.
If he followed the clues, perhaps he could find the mysterious Jiang Mingchuan.
In the distance, a pack of dogs barked wildly, human voices grew noisy, drawing closer and closer, shattering the stillness of the long night and rousing Xiao Wangshu from his peculiar mood.
He frowned. There was neither bright moon nor quiet night; given the situation, this was no time for idle thoughts.
With some regret, Xiao Wangshu turned around, intending to return to his room for rest.
“Swish— swish swish!”
Suddenly, the branches and leaves of the tree by the wall began to shake violently without warning! As if some heavy object had abruptly landed among them.
Could it be a stray cat?
The young master under the gallery turned his head in puzzlement, his gaze naturally landing on the old tree whose branches danced wildly in the moonlight.
Just then, the thick clouds shrouding the moon suddenly parted, and the cold, silvery light from the heavens poured down like a waterfall, all of it falling into a pair of eyes standing atop the tree.
Xiao Wangshu instantly forgot to breathe, not daring even to blink, afraid to disturb this dreamlike scene beneath the moon.
He watched as that “bright moon” floated lightly down from the treetop, robes fluttering, ghostly and ethereal, in the blink of an eye arriving right before him!
There was no moon in the sky.
No moon reflected on the water.
The bright moon had fallen into his arms.
“If you dare make a sound, I’ll slit your throat.”
A deliberately lowered, hoarse voice, laced with a biting chill, sounded right beside his ear.
Xiao Wangshu: ……
It was “he,” not “she.”
A “criminal,” not the “bright moon.”
Xiao Wangshu snapped out of his trance, finally feeling the cold, sharp edge of a dagger pressed tightly against the side of his neck.
Sharper than the dagger were the “bright moon’s” eyes.
At this close distance, as their gazes met, Xiao Wangshu suddenly realized that it wasn’t the dazzling silver light of the heavens shining in those eyes, but a burning, fierce killing intent.
Outside the courtyard wall, the barking of dogs grew more urgent.
“Boss! He’s gone!!”
“Where’d he run off to?!”
“Damn it! He must’ve climbed into this yard!!”
“Whose house is this?!”
“Who cares whose house! Security team’s catching a criminal—nobody can stop us! Get in there and search!!”
As the words fell, Xiao Wangshu saw the “criminal’s” eyes grow even sharper, the viciousness in them making his heart skip a beat.
These were the eyes of a desperate fugitive.
Xiao Wangshu calmly negotiated in a whisper, “You and I are strangers, with no grievances between us. You have your face covered. I have some wealth and am willing to buy my life. I won’t report this to the authorities after.”
He saw a flicker in those cold eyes, as if there was some relaxation. Xiao Wangshu was about to press his advantage—
“Scritch! Scritch scritch!”
Suddenly, the sound of scratching and climbing came from outside the wall, mixed with heavy panting. The pursuers really were climbing over the wall!
In an instant, those eyes that had just softened grew sharp and murderous again.
“I assure you,” Xiao said, face calm, “they won’t get in.”
Deep within the residence, people had already been startled awake. Heavy footsteps and the clash of scabbards drew nearer.
A sharp shout rang out, booming like a bell:
“Outrageous! Who dares trespass at this hour?! Even a mere security team dares to barge into the County Magistrate’s Residence?!”
“Don’t be angry, sir, we really didn’t know this was the County Magistrate’s residence. We just saw on the street….”
Xiao Wangshu spoke softly, “The house guards will be here any moment. You’d best… leave quickly.”
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Xiao Wangshu keenly noticed the knife at his neck loosened a little, though it still pressed against him, not letting go.
A trace of helplessness flashed through his heart.
The servants of Fang Fengtai… with all the commotion outside, not a single one came to check on their master’s safety first?
If this were at his old home in Hangzhou, such negligent servants would have long been sold off by his mother.
“You heard it too,”
Xiao Wangshu continued, his tone calm as if stating a fact, “This is County Magistrate Fang’s residence. And I am a guest of the County Magistrate. If I so much as lose a hair, County Magistrate Fang will mobilize the entire city, searching every inch, and will not rest until you are dead.”
There’s a saying: the magistrate of a ruined family, the county governor of a slaughtered clan.
A petty thief from the countryside like this might not have heard of the Xiao Family, but could not possibly be ignorant of the County Magistrate’s name.
If this were an ordinary thief, he should have been frightened by now.
However, the one holding him hostage was clearly no ordinary man.
At the mention of “County Magistrate,” not only was there no fear in his eyes, but a fleeting, icy sneer, as if he’d just heard something laughable.
So, Xiao Wangshu understood: this man was a madman unafraid of death.
In life, everyone seeks something.
If he’s not afraid of death or power, then… how about money?
Xiao Wangshu spoke neither quickly nor slowly, “The gold watch on my wrist should be worth something. Is it enough to buy my life?”
He slowly raised his right hand, letting the madman get a clear look at his watch.
The Santos-Dumont Watch on his wrist was a Cartier piece privately commissioned by the aviator Santos-Dumont in 1904, mass produced in 1911. It was the world’s first mass-produced men’s wristwatch.
The case design was inspired by the geometric structure of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the eight screws on the bezel imitating the rivets of an airplane cockpit.
The case was made of solid gold, set with diamonds. Because of this, Xiao Wangshu never liked wearing it much— it was too flashy, didn’t suit his style.
But it was a birthday gift from his grandfather. One does not refuse a gift from one’s elders.
Before this trip, his grandfather specifically told him to bring the watch.
His grandfather said, “A man’s watch is like a woman’s jewelry. In a crisis, you can use it to buy your life.”
Xiao Wangshu hadn’t taken it seriously at the time, but now he admired his grandfather’s foresight.
He was penniless now, and the only thing he could use to buy off the criminal was the watch on his wrist.
The criminal’s gaze lingered on the gold watch for a moment, and Xiao Wangshu was sure he saw desire in his eyes.
“I dare not take it off myself,” Xiao Wangshu raised his wrist a little higher, his tone deliberately slow and almost humble. “I’ll trouble you… to take it yourself.”
He lowered his eyes, quietly sizing up the other: a slim, tightly-clad figure in black, a bit shorter than himself……
He had some training in self-defense— if he waited for the man to take the watch and suddenly attacked to snatch the knife… how much chance did he have?
“I don’t want the gold watch.” The hoarse voice suddenly sounded, making Xiao Wangshu’s heart sink. Did this man really mean to kill him?
Had he ever made such a mortal enemy?
“…I want money.” The criminal glared at him and demanded, “Fifty silver dollars. Not a cent less.”
Xiao Wangshu: …?
He didn’t want the diamond-studded gold watch, but asked for fifty silver dollars?
…Had this country bumpkin never seen a new mechanical wristwatch? But surely he knew the value of gold?
Jiang Mingxi looked at the familiar face before her and ground her teeth in hatred. Before, she’d only seen black and white photos in the newspaper, so she hadn’t recognized him at first.
But the moment she saw the gold watch, she finally remembered!
The newspaper had reported on the gold watch on Xiao Shao’s wrist, said to be a coming-of-age gift from his grandfather, worth as much as a Beiping Siheyuan.
She didn’t know how much a Beiping Siheyuan was worth, but she knew this man had cheated her out of the Dragon Bone and cost her two sets of clothes!
Xiao Wangshu looked astonished: “You mean fifty silver dollars?”
Thinking of all the time, effort, and humiliation she’d endured, Jiang Mingxi instantly changed her mind.
“No, fifty is too little.” She demanded, “I want seventy-five silver dollars.”
Xiao Wangshu: …
Jiang Mingxi knew Xiao Shao must think she was an idiot.
She wasn’t. She certainly knew the value of the watch.
But that’s how people’s bottom lines get lowered, step by step.
In her previous life, Shen Mingming had joined the Yaomen just to get by, but step by step she went astray, until her greed was insatiable, and she swindled ten thousand silver dollars.
Her Master said she was the Yaomen’s once-in-a-century genius, born for this line of work.
It was the proudest, most arrogant moment of her life.
She thought she was the cleverest person in the world, and even regretted sticking to the rules before—otherwise she’d already be rich as a nation.
And then she was set up.
It started as playing cards and mahjong with friends, losing and winning just a few dozen yuan.
Then it was a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand…
In the end, she lost her mind, gambled away a fortune, and wouldn’t leave the table until they cut off three of her fingers.
The past was too painful to look back on.
The things of the past were as if they’d died yesterday; what comes after is as if reborn today.
Given a second life, she gave herself a new name, treating Shen Mingming as dead.
This time, she was determined to live with dignity under the sun, to earn money honestly.
The weapon in her hand was only to protect herself, not for crime.
So Xiao Shao only owed her seventy-five silver dollars. She’d take the money and their grievances would be settled.
Xiao Wangshu gave a helpless, bitter smile.
“I don’t have money on me, my wallet’s in my room. Will you come with me to get it?”
Jiang Mingxi fell into thought.
Xiao Wangshu looked at her, and there was even a hint of pity in his eyes. He said, “No rush, take your time.”
Jiang Mingxi: …?
Xiao Wangshu paused, then patiently coaxed, “You may not know, but seventy-five silver dollars wouldn’t even buy a single screw from my watch.”
Jiang Mingxi narrowed her eyes: …I, don’t, know?
She ground her teeth. This man was so arrogant— even with a knife at his neck, he dared treat her like a fool?
Suddenly, she pricked up her ears and heard footsteps approaching.
Jiang Mingxi sighed regretfully and muttered, “You got off easy.”
Xiao Wangshu: ?
……
“So you beat him up?”
Ming Ling looked at Jiang Mingxi with a strange expression.
Jiang Mingxi rolled her eyes. “He didn’t have his wallet on him—serves him right.”
“And I didn’t even hit him hard.” Jiang Mingxi felt she’d really lost out.
Xiao Shao only got a few punches, but she lost seventy-five silver dollars! In the countryside, that could buy three cows!
And she hadn’t even hit his face, carefully sparing the young master’s dignity.
She said sincerely, “I really returned good for evil—practically a saint.”
“You, hahahahaha, a saint? Hahahahahaha!” Ming Ling clutched his stomach, laughing till he was out of breath.
Jiang Mingxi looked at the laughing Ming Ling, a bit puzzled.
She’d thought they were just temporary partners, each taking what they needed, and would go their separate ways.
Yet Ming Ling had come to find her again.
It was her second day out of town.
Following Old Huangtou’s last words, she’d traced her way to the ancient tomb.
The tomb was underwater, and without the means to excavate it, she’d only picked up some Dragon Bone along the shore.
Sadly, with Old Huangtou’s whole family gone, she couldn’t repay him, so she spent money to put up a gravestone.
Jiang Mingxi asked Ming Ling, “How did you find me?”
Ming Ling, having laughed enough, straightened up and said casually, “Where there are people, there is Jianghu. And where there is Jianghu, there is the Changchun Society.”
Jiang Mingxi’s heart skipped a beat.
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In her previous life, by the time she’d dealt with the Changchun Society, Ming Ling had already failed in his assassination and fled.
So in her mind, the Changchun Society was just a loose, self-governing group with little power.
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