Chapter 40: Deadlock

Fengzhou Inn.

Lin Jiangyue sat at the table, having just smashed the seal on a jar of wine to drink heavily. Young Master Han, consumed by anxiety, stood guard at the door of the room next to hers.

Inside the room, Cheng Ruyi and Yan Kuang watched as the doctor covered the person on the bed with a quilt. The physician sighed softly, "His life is preserved, but his eyes..."

The person lying on the bed was Young Master Han’s young attendant, Han Le.

This youth, who should have perished at the hands of the water bandits, had been discovered on a cargo cart at the gates of Fengzhou City. Now, with his eyes bandaged in white cloth, he lay pale and thin, having wasted away to nothing over these past few days.

After Cheng Ruyi paid the medical fees, the doctor prepared to leave. Han Le, who had regained consciousness following his treatment, spoke up, "Commander Yan, am I a frightening sight? I... I fear I might scare the Young Master."

Before Yan Kuang could respond, Young Master Han burst in from outside.

"What is there to be afraid of? Am I even worthy of such fear?"

As Han Ning cried out, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. He wiped his nose, looking at the youth who had grown up alongside him, and finally, he could not help but turn away.

"Xiao Le, I am sorry... It is all my fault... I am the one who harmed you..."

"If I hadn't been so reckless, if I hadn't dragged you into running around... this wouldn't have happened, it just wouldn't have..."

Cheng Ruyi found the scene unbearable. He reached for a handkerchief, but after searching his person, he found only the one wrapped around the maple leaf that belonged to Xiao Hong.

Han Le whispered weakly, "Young Master, how could this be your fault? How could Xiao Le ever blame you?"

These words were more painful than a thousand curses. Unable to withstand the torture of his conscience any longer, Han Ning rushed out of the room.

The doctor packed his kit and departed. Cheng Ruyi’s eyes were rimmed with red, and seeing this, Yan Kuang reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"Young Master... has the Young Master left?" Han Le asked with a touch of disappointment. Yan Kuang stepped closer and said, "Han Le, I have some very important questions for you."

Yan Kuang had not forgotten the reactions he had elicited from Jia Chuan in the prison that day; they were proof enough that Jia Chuan was not the mastermind behind this.

Han Le whispered, "Commander Yan, please, ask away."

Seeing Yan Kuang hesitate out of compassion, Cheng Ruyi stepped forward to play the villain. "Xiao Le, can you tell us what happened after you were separated from Young Master Han?"

Though his eyes were bandaged, Cheng Ruyi could tell he had stiffened, clearly hesitant.

Cheng Ruyi continued, "I know reliving this must be incredibly difficult for you. But perhaps there are others in your same plight, or perhaps..."

He paused, then added, "The people who harmed you have not all been brought to justice. It is very likely they are still close to your Young Master, ready at any moment to continue their cruelty."

"I will tell you!"

"I will tell you everything! You must protect the Young Master!"

Han Le became agitated. Fearing he would worsen his injuries, Cheng Ruyi leaned over and patted his hand. "Take your time. We are listening."

Han Le steeled himself and began his recollection.

Whether it was fortunate or not that he had survived the water bandits, Han Le had been sold like a commodity to the Prefect. He had been locked away with a group of orphans, beggars, and elderly people who had no one to provide for them, unaware of the fate that awaited them.

"They didn't give us food, only swill... After three days of suffering, three men arrived. They made us stand in rows and picked through us like livestock... and then, then..."

Han Le clearly could not continue. Cheng Ruyi held his hand and patted it, saying with pity, "That is enough..."

"No... I must tell you! Otherwise, the Young Master will be in danger!"

Han Le persisted, bracing himself. "I was taken away by the man who called himself the Prefect. These wounds of mine... they were..."

The youth could no longer bear the physical and mental torture and broke into sobbing.

Upon hearing this, beyond his sympathy, a flash of subtle but sharp cruelty and hatred crossed Cheng Ruyi’s face. He patted the back of Han Le’s hand and said softly, "Rest assured, he has already been trampled into a pulp."

Yan Kuang leaned against the door, his expression unreadable—neither indifferent nor necessarily respectful. He simply said, "You care a great deal about Han Ning."

Mentioning the Young Master, Han Le finally ceased his sobbing, managing a smile that truly matched his name.

"The Young Master... the Young Master is a wonderful person. His father does not like him, and the people in the capital love to mock him behind his back... but in my heart, there has never been a better person in this world than him."

Without needing to be asked, Han Le continued, "I was an orphan... ever since I could remember, I was begging for a living on the streets. That winter in the capital was too cold..."

"There was no food, no clothes... and no charcoal... Before I met the Young Master, I had never even seen charcoal..."

On the night of the Lantern Festival, the entire capital was bathed in brilliant light, fireworks exploding both on the ground and in the sky, shattering the ink-black void with cascades of radiance.

It was a beautiful, prosperous sight, as if the heavens had fallen to earth.

The little beggar, who was about to fall into an eternal sleep amidst the lamps and snow in the corner of the street—just as his world was about to plunge into hell—was awakened by a sudden voice.

"Hey! You have to go home to sleep, or you'll catch a cold!"

The little beggar awoke in a daze. A firework exploded in time, illuminating the small boy in orange robes before him.

He looked wealthy, his face flushed red from the cold, and the box of soup dumplings in his hands emanated an enticing aroma and warmth that the little beggar could not resist.

He could not help but want to snatch them.

He grabbed the dumplings, stood up, and shoved the "rich kid" to the ground, but the child only shouted at him, "You, are you hungry?"

The little beggar stopped. It wasn't that he couldn't run anymore; he was simply frozen stiff.

"Are you cold?" The wealthy boy climbed clumsily out of the snow, walked over to him, and pulled off his own thick, gold-threaded cloak to drape over the beggar.

"Come home with me. I have a place for you to sleep at home. It’s very warm, and you won't catch a cold!"

...

Han Le smiled. "How could I blame the Young Master... without him, I would have died long ago."

"To think Magistrate Han could raise such a..." Cheng Ruyi stopped midway, and seeing Yan Kuang’s complex expression, he fell silent.

Yan Kuang asked, "Do you remember what the three men who came that day looked like, besides the Prefect?"

Han Le thought for a moment. "I remember. But I am blind now, so remembering... is useless."

"And their voices?" Yan Kuang pressed.

Han Le replied, "Perhaps... I would recognize them if I heard them again."

"Rest for now."

As Yan Kuang gestured for Cheng Ruyi to leave, they prepared to close the door, but Han Le called out, "Wait, Commander Yan..."

Yan Kuang paused. "Speak."

Han Le was clearly exhausted, his voice trembling, but he insisted on speaking clearly.

"The Young Master may be frivolous at times, but his mother passed away early, and his father was always too busy. He grew up without family. When he found out he might have an older brother like you... he was truly, truly happy..."

"He cares about you so much, he admires you... He talks about 'my big brother' all the time when he's out. But he was afraid of bringing you criticism, so he never mentioned your name. So, if he is still very sad... Commander Yan, could you try to comfort him..."

Han Le looked nervous yet expectant. Cheng Ruyi looked at Yan Kuang and caught a flicker of emotion deep within his dark, pool-like eyes.

"Very well."

Yan Kuang and Cheng Ruyi turned to leave. As they closed the door, they ran into Lin Jiangyue, who was walking toward them carrying a jar of wine.

"Hey, Second Brother..."

Lin Jiangyue smelled of alcohol. She went to drape her arm around Yan Kuang’s shoulder. "Come, drink with me! Among the five of us, you always had the best tolerance..."

Yan Kuang swept his arm out. A loud "crash" followed, and the scent of wine filled the air as the liquid pooled on the floor, instantly soaking the tips of Lin Jiangyue’s crimson boots.

She froze for a moment, then shouted with a flushed face, "Han Kuang! What are you doing!"

"Lin Jiangyue!"

Yan Kuang raised his voice, a rarity. "Are you ashamed of your own incompetence and dereliction of duty, and seeking to escape it?"

Lin Jiangyue clearly did not expect such an attitude. She stared, blinking back tears, and stammered, "No..."

"You regret not being able to protect Xiao Hong, and you are disappointed in yourself for failing to save her. You cannot accept this incompetent version of yourself, so you are here acting like a madwoman!"

It was rare to see Yan Kuang so earnest and serious. His intense demeanor and tone were so overwhelming that even Cheng Ruyi, as a bystander, felt the immense pressure.

Stung by the truth, Lin Jiangyue could no longer bear it and choked out a sob. "Yes... you’re right... I am useless... I couldn't save Master and my fellow disciples back then, and now..."

"Junior Sister..."

Yan Kuang suddenly interrupted her. He patted her shoulder gently, his tone softening. "You are Lin Jiangyue."

Lin Jiangyue looked at him with red eyes. "What..."

Yan Kuang said, "Do you not find all of this too coincidental, too chaotic, and too difficult to accept?"

"As long as we haven't seen Xiao Hong’s body, we shouldn't give up."

Lin Jiangyue’s pupils constricted. "But..."

"You are Lin Jiangyue. You could write poetry at six, mastered martial arts by ten, and by twelve, you could wield this sixty-pound crescent moon blade."

"You cannot be afraid to face this, and you cannot give up easily, because you are Lin Jiangyue, and you promised that little girl you would look after her."

Yan Kuang looked at her with a firmness that seemed to place more trust in her than she had in herself.

Lin Jiangyue began to cry even harder. Yan Kuang seemed as if he wanted to embrace her, but in the end, he only patted her back.

"Cry. It's not shameful to cry, but don't cry for too long. Once you've cried, keep going."

Yan Kuang’s tone was uncharacteristically gentle, much like a kind and steadfast older brother comforting his distraught younger sister.

Cheng Ruyi stood by, watching in silence. Yes, having time for regret, guilt, and disappointment... none of that is as effective as taking immediate action to make amends. Yet, people always tend to break down and vent first.

The reason humans are humans and not gods is precisely because they have emotions and selfish desires. This heart is tossed about by moods, often suffering and doubting.

Cheng Ruyi did not know how much doubt, pain, and disappointment Yan Kuang had endured to forge a heart that remained as calm as stagnant water when facing matters of life and death.

Yan Kuang said, "Go. Have some tea to sober up, and then ask Assistant Prefect Luo to come over."

Lin Jiangyue pursed her lips, and as if she had finally made a decision, she nodded heavily.

"I wonder why Brother Lu wants to see me?"

Luo Shaofeng’s voice came from the stairs. He looked pale but walked up with his usual steady and upright posture, bowing to the group.

"As the Assistant Prefect, I also wanted to come and visit this..." Luo Shaofeng looked toward the room.

"Very well, follow me." Yan Kuang opened the door directly. He had already been suspicious of Luo Shaofeng; now that the man had come uninvited, he would naturally subject him to a thorough interrogation.