2024-10-02 08:11:54
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The Eastern Ruler’s Burden
Shangguan Zan began with what his household had confirmed before allowing any mention of the rumors spreading throughout Jinhung City.He explained that more than twenty people had been found dead outside the gate, including his only son and several clan guards.Guo Jiang listened without interrupting, his expression remaining difficult to read as the patriarch continued through the known sequence.“The bodies were discovered before sunrise, my lord, and no surviving witness could explain what happened during the night.”Shangguan Zan then described the green dragon banner found near the gate and immediately clarified that he did not know who had placed it.“The city believes foreign killers are responsible, but I cannot honestly tell Your Excellency that the banner proves who murdered them.”Guo Jiang nodded once, approving the distin
A Father Before the Demigods
Earlier that day, long before Ning Ju encountered the mysterious cold wind in Maple Forest, Shangguan Zan had already arrived at Eastern Mansion.He came alone this time, without the five other clan patriarchs who had accompanied him during the previous visit.The difference was visible before anyone asked his purpose, because he entered without political confidence and remained in formal supplication inside the hall.Shangguan Zan had been waiting since morning, yet he showed none of the impatience that had marked his earlier audience attempt.His only son was dead, and the heir who should have carried the Shangguan Clan into another generation would never inherit anything.The memory of Shangguan Rong lying among the guards returned repeatedly whenever silence settled too deeply around him.Shangguan Zan pressed both hands against his knees and thought, “I will not leave before Eastern Mansion hears what happened to my son.”Servants passed the distant entrances occasionally, but no
Cold Wind in Spring
Maple Forest stood roughly ten li from Jinhung City, its spring foliage shifting softly beneath an otherwise mild night wind.Ning Ju moved between trees with controlled steps, following the route toward the meeting point where her companions should already be waiting.The ground changed from open grass to leaf litter and scattered roots, forcing her lightness skill into shorter, more careful movements.She had traveled only partway into the forest when a sudden cold wind passed across her back and neck.The temperature change was too sharp for spring, and Ning Ju slowed immediately instead of dismissing it as ordinary weather.She whispered, “This cold does not belong here, especially after the warm wind outside the trees.”Her body recognized danger before her eyes found anything, tightening along the shoulders while one hand moved closer to the
Across the Rooftops
After Wang Ding died inside the VVIP room, Ning Ju left Autumn Memory Pavilion without repeating the killing or disturbing the hall.The Zi period had begun, and most ordinary Jinhung residents were already asleep behind doors made cautious by recent rumors.Ning Ju reached a quiet service exit, waited for two attendants to pass, then slipped into darkness beyond the Pavilion walls.Her posture changed as soon as no observer remained nearby, shedding the careful uncertainty of a village woman entering elite rooms.She placed one foot against a low wall, pushed lightly, and reached the nearest roof ridge without disturbing loose tiles.The movement was controlled rather than spectacular, using exact pressure through the toes and ankle before transferring weight forward.A night breeze moved across the rooftops, and Ning Ju timed her next leap while cloth rustl
A Talent Too Natural
Ning Ju’s training began immediately, because Autumn Memory Pavilion treated wealthy patrons as customers who noticed every failure of etiquette.An attendant first taught her how to enter private rooms, where to stop, how deeply to bow, and when to raise her eyes.Ning Ju repeated each movement correctly after one demonstration, adjusting posture without the awkward overcorrection common among true beginners.The attendant frowned with surprise and said, “You learn quickly for someone who claimed she had never served wealthy households.”Ning Ju smiled lightly and replied, “When poor people make mistakes, they usually pay more dearly, so I learned to watch carefully.”That explanation sounded reasonable enough to end the question, especially inside a business where desperation often sharpened attention.Training continued with w
Madam Lily’s Appraisal
Madam Lily studied Ning Ju without speaking, beginning with her face before lowering her gaze toward posture, hands, clothing, and restrained manners.The examination felt commercial rather than intimate, because every detail represented possible value inside an establishment built around wealthy preferences.Ning Ju remained composed under that scrutiny, allowing a trace of uncertainty to appear whenever Madam Lily’s attention lingered too long.“You came here alone asking for work, yet your speech is cleaner than many women raised inside merchant households.”Ning Ju lowered her eyes and answered, “My family was poor, but they still believed a daughter should learn proper manners.”Madam Lily tapped one painted nail against the table and asked, “Have you ever been with a man before?”The question arrived directly, and Ning Ju answered with carefully performed embarrassment rather than offended hesitation.“I have lived mostly around my family and village, Madam, so I have never had
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