“The Wanfu County constables spent the whole afternoon visiting various gangs. In the past month, the suspicious lone individuals they know of who have appeared in the county total four,” Chu Jin reported.
“One is a middle-aged beggar who usually begs at the west gate, rarely speaks to anyone, and sleeps at night in the charity cemetery in the northwest of the town.
One is a down-and-out scholar who rents a small courtyard in the west of the city. He sets up a little stall during the day to sell calligraphy and paintings for a living.
One is an itinerant storyteller who found work at Taizhen House in town. He tells a segment of his tale every morning and seems prepared to settle here long-term.
The last is a brewer who took over a two-courtyard compound in a southern alley. He brews in the back courtyard and sells wine from the front to make his living.”
Qi Fengyun looked at the other three officers. All three shook their heads. “The people buying medicine are all long-time elderly residents of the county. Their quantities haven’t changed; nothing unusual.”
Qi Fengyun nodded. “Either he already has medicine, or his injuries haven’t reached the stage where he needs mortal remedies. So, barring surprises, that wolf demon must be one of these four.”
Chu Jin continued, “Since arriving in Wanfu County a month ago, none of these four has left the town even once.”
Qi Fengyun nodded again. “The four of you are brimming with vital energy; it’s hard for you to disguise yourselves. Stay at the inn and wait. Tomorrow I’ll go take a look. Young friend Lu, will you join me?”
Lu Zheng cursed inwardly, but kept a slight smile on his face and cheerfully nodded. “I am honoured that you value me so highly. It is exactly what I wished!”
…
The next day.
Early in the morning, Lu Zheng accompanied Qi Fengyun to Taizhen House. They ordered a pot of tea, some melon seeds, and snacks from the waiter, tipped fifty wen, and took seats in the front row.
Moments later, a thin middle-aged man of about forty or fifty, dressed in a blue robe, stepped out from behind the curtain. He slapped the wooden block to command attention and began his tale.
“To continue from yesterday: the scholar Wang Ling was walking through the rocky forest when he suddenly heard a woman’s cry for help.
He looked up and saw a stunning beauty in a goose-yellow dress embroidered with hundreds of flowers. She sat on a nearby boulder with two bundles at her feet, clearly resting from the weight of her load.”
The storyteller spoke with perfect rhythm, using gestures and expressions to bring the clichéd tale of a scholar’s amorous encounter with a female ghost vividly and thrillingly to life.
“Well told! Reward!”
Lu Zheng gave a clear shout and tossed a handful of copper coins onto the tray the waiter held out.
“This gentleman has real skill! Without ten years of hard practice, no one could tell a story this brilliantly!”
“Thank you for the reward, young sir!” A sharp glint flashed in the storyteller’s eyes. His face lit up with a warm smile as he quickly cupped his hands in thanks.
“Earning money through honest talent is nothing to be ashamed of!” Lu Zheng waved casually. Then he and Qi Fengyun stood and left.
“Not an ordinary person, but definitely not the one we’re looking for,” Lu Zheng said.
Qi Fengyun nodded. Without a decade of dedicated practice, no one could tell a story that well, and the wolf demon Leng Li certainly could not.
The two strolled on, walking from Taizhen House all the way to the west gate.
From afar they saw, just inside the gate in the sunniest and warmest spot against a high wall, a dishevelled middle-aged beggar sitting on the ground.
A broken bowl lay in front of him. He wore tattered sackcloth, one hand scratching his head, the other catching lice on his body. When he caught one, he casually popped it into his mouth.
Lu Zheng grimaced, feeling a little nauseous.
A short distance away were two or three other beggars, but they kept well clear of him. Although they too could catch some sun, their spots were far inferior. They could only rest briefly before going to pester wealthy-looking people entering the city.
Unlike the middle-aged beggar, who sat closest to the gate where the traffic was heaviest. Even just sitting there, people would casually toss him one or two wen.
Lu Zheng and Qi Fengyun exchanged a glance, shook their heads, and turned away.
Once close enough, Lu Zheng could feel the surging vital blood energy in that beggar, even stronger than Duan Changzai’s. Whatever reason he had for disguising himself as a beggar and begging every day, he was definitely not the wolf demon.
…
“Hee hee, let me tell you, Young Master Duan is extremely handsome and an excellent painter. You have to see for yourself.”
“You’ve told me a dozen times already. Now I must see what kind of divine being this Young Master Duan is to leave you so smitten that you’re recommending him to me for paintings.”
Lu Zheng and Qi Fengyun had reached the southern market district and turned into an alley, ending up right behind two young women walking towards them.
From their clothing, the pair were daughters of moderately well-off families. Their monthly allowances were enough for rouge, powder, and illustrated storybooks.
This alley was lined with stalls where small traders did business: toys, shoes and socks, snacks, letter-writing services.
Halfway down the alley, a rope stretched between two trees, several open scrolls of paintings hanging from it. Beside it stood a wooden rack holding more paintings.
A young scholar sat on a small stool nearby, reading a book when he had no customers.
“Young Master Duan.”
“Miss Zhao.”
“I’ve brought my close friend to look at your paintings.” The girl introduced her companion, but her eyes never left the scholar.
The scholar seemed rather reluctant. He turned his head slightly and said offhandedly, “They’re all here. Look around. If you like anything, I’ll sell it cheap.”
From a short distance away, Qi Fengyun kept nodding. “Excellent, excellent. With looks like that, why bother reading books at all?”
Meanwhile Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, face twisted in second-hand embarrassment, teeth aching with envy.
Because, if this Young Master Duan were dropped into the modern world, all he would need to do is dance and sing a little and he could debut as centre immediately.
From the corner of their eyes they watched the scholar looking helplessly at the two girls who were clearly interested in him, a hint of sorrow flashing in his gaze.
“This old man suddenly has a craving. Let’s go find some wine to quench our thirst,” Qi Fengyun said.
Lu Zheng nodded, supported Qi Fengyun, and the two naturally walked past the painting stall, gradually disappearing down the other end of the alley.
The likelihood that this scholar was Leng Li could, for now, be mostly ruled out. If he really wanted to hide and heal, he wouldn’t make himself this handsome, would he?
That left only the brewer.
The two strolled slowly from the west of town and arrived in the southern alleys just before mid-morning.
“Mm, the scent of wine?” Qi Fengyun sniffed, his face lighting up with delight.
Following the aroma, they soon found a wine shop deep in the alley.
“Ten Li Fragrance? Good name!” Qi Fengyun chuckled cheerfully, then stepped inside. “Shopkeeper home?”
“Would the two gentlemen like to buy wine?”
A hoarse voice answered. The inner door curtain was lifted, and a stout fellow walked out.
His eyes were narrow and upturned with slightly red rims, his brows sharp like swords, his cheekbones high and prominent.
When he smiled faintly at the pair, Lu Zheng felt his heart jolt. Just looking at this man’s face, he did not seem like a good person at all.
