Roaring Dragon-Chapter 2: Walking into the Trap

The Next Day, Outskirts of Danyang City

In August, the mild autumn sun bathed the official road. At the riverside port, countless ships gathered while all walks of life hustled along the docks. Occasionally, idlers could be heard whispering:

“Last night, lightning split the sky – they say a dragon fell into Zihui Mountain, and now even the magistrate’s office is searching...”

“Dragons are naturally lecherous. If that’s true, the female beasts of Zihui Mountain – the ‘mother birds’ – are bound to suffer...”

...

Xie Jinhuan stood alone at the pier, lugging along Meiqiu, his feathered companion, while his eyes betrayed his deep existential doubt.

Fearing the red-dressed demon from last night, he had fled the deep mountains in haste. After probing around, he learned that it was indeed the eighth year of Jingning – nearly three years had passed since his memory had fragmented!

Losing his memory wasn’t the worst thing; he could always see a doctor. Even lacking a brain, one could still scrape by.

But his father – an official – was nowhere to be seen, his servants and maids had vanished, and even his little white horse (which had learned to move on its own) was gone.

All that remained at his side was a lazy, gluttonous bird and a wallet that was cleaner than his face.

Earlier on the ferry, payments were made through facial recognition. But the boatman, who judged men by their appearance, accepted only hook payments. So Xie Jinhuan had been ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) forced to help the old man row the boat all the way.

Back in the day, as a young master, life had been easy – his only worry was that his residence was rather modest; later he’d have to worry about three wives, four concubines, five mistresses, six side-rooms, seven maidservants, eight passing chambers, and about a dozen extra-lovers on the side.

Now, not only were those wives and concubines out of the picture, he also had to serve the personal, ever-demanding maid on his shoulder.

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Meiqiu, clearly no rat-catcher, would be unforgiving if not fed properly. Should he neglect her, she’d ensure that he lost the only cherished companions he had – even if it meant letting him starve to death. Truly, a fierce little bird!

What to do next...

Xie Jinhuan, as the brisk autumn wind blew, mulled over his next move. Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a pat on his back:

“Hey, brother, are you coming or not?”

Turning around, he saw a huddle of local folks waiting to disembark—their weight nearly buckling the ferry’s boarding plank.

“Sorry, I got lost in thought.”

He stepped aside, and then addressed the boatman who had given him a free ride:

“Old man, how about this: let me row my own boat to the capital. I’ll pay you double once I get there. My father, Xie Wen, used to serve as the law officer of Wanan County...”

The boatman tied the anchor rope to a wooden post and shook his head with a sigh:

“Ah, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, lad. But it seems something happened in the city yesterday. All boats crossing the river have been halted. There are even naval patrols on the river. You can’t reach Jingzhao Prefecture right now.”

Xie Jinhuan peered across the river. Sure enough, he saw no boats coming or going. With a puzzled frown, he asked:

“What happened?”

“Not sure. Probably a serious robbery disturbance – they’re afraid that if anyone enters Jingzhao territory, they might disturb some important personage. You don’t have any relatives here in Danyang, do you? Better borrow a place to stay for a few days. When the river reopens, your uncle will send you over.”

Relatives...

Xie Jinhuan racked his memory. He recalled a constable his father had once mentioned—a man who had been transferred to the Danyang County Office and had even delivered his father some items three years ago.

A government man and an old acquaintance, he might well know what had become of his father during these three years.

“Old man, is Captain Yang Dabiao still serving in Danyang?”

The boatman, accustomed to the authorities from his line of work, replied:

“Yeah. Just a few days ago, Captain Yang came to the dock with his officers checking for bandits. He’s now been promoted to deputy constable.”

Although not the highest-ranking official, the deputy constable was still considered important by the common people.

Having found a familiar face to rely on, Xie Jinhuan did not waste any time and set off in the direction of Danyang City...

.......

Danyang City, Dongcang District

Dongcang District was a storied warehouse district, lined with transport companies and courier services along its outer streets. Within, warehouses sprawled in every direction.

Around midday, high above a tavern building:

Yang Ting, the county constable of Danyang, puffed on his bamboo smoking pipe as he scanned the mismatched buildings outside through the window:

“Are you sure there’s a demon hiding among them?”

Standing beside him was his son, Yang Dabiao—a towering figure no less than six feet three, broad-shouldered and with chest muscles like double-doors of a refrigerator. Despite his impressive build, his demeanor was obsequious as he used a fire iron to help his father light a cigarette:

“Absolutely. The manager at the wonton shop says that recently there’s been a newcomer who buys wontons for a three-person portion every day. And the warehouse keeper at the Li family depot heard barking at night but couldn’t find anyone when he opened the door...”

Nearby stood a young woman clad in dark-colored Qilin armor, a sword hanging at her waist. Though not very old, her appearance exuded a cool, formidable grace. Her name was Linghu Qingmo.

Linghu Qingmo was a disciple of the current master of Zihui Mountain and was now serving as a royal guard in training at the princely mansion. She also maintained close ties with the Changning Princess and her sisters, which granted her a high social status. Hearing the conversation, she interjected:

“Dongcang District is about two miles long and one and a half miles wide; its terrain is complex. As soon as any officer shows up, bandits will surely vanish. How do you plan to search?”

Yang Dabiao extinguished his fire iron and turned around:

“We’ll mobilize a hundred or so men, seal off all the entrances and exits, and then trap the culprits like turtles in a jar...”

Linghu Qingmo frowned slightly:

“Last night, Zihui Mountain exuded an aura of ‘Sky-Splitting Blood Fury’ – as if a great demon had emerged. Now, out of three hundred martial men, two hundred and eighty have already set out, and officers are patrolling outside. You haven’t even figured out the bandits’ details – from where do you expect to muster a hundred men?”

Yang Ting nodded, puffing on his pipe: “Mobilizing over a hundred men only to capture three petty pickpockets would have me roughed up by County Magistrate Zhang.”

Yang Dabiao knew it would be hard to gather such a force; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so eager to invite his father and even the palace’s ‘Goddess of Mercy’ to join. With a forced laugh, he added:

“Since Miss Linghu hails from the Daoist sect, she should be able to sense demonic energies. Why not try a spell?”

Zihui Mountain belonged to the Dan Ding faction of the Daoist sect. With both martial arts and Daoist techniques, they could exorcise and bind demons. But being a Daoist faction, it all depended on one’s spiritual cultivation.

Currently, Linghu Qingmo was on assignment in the royal mansion and hadn’t yet fully emerged. If she were to detect even the slightest trace of demonic energy among thousands of buildings, what would be the point of her training? She might as well go straight to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the capital and become an “Immortal Official.”

“I have other matters to attend to. If Captain Yang is certain there’s demon activity, let me know,” she said before leaving.

“Eh?”

Yang Dabiao, still with a few lackeys trailing him and unable to monitor all of Dongcang District, quickly blocked her way with fawning smiles:

“Miss Linghu~ We’re neighbors, aren’t we? Why don’t you call Old Liu and the others? Ten or so men together could at least cover all sides.”

“Liu Qingzhi is currently serving as an honor guard for the Princess. Why don’t you take over?”

“Uh...”

...

As the two bickered, Yang Ting, still sucking on his pipe, narrowed his eyes and glanced out at the surrounding streets:

“Could it be that person?”

Linghu Qingmo returned to the window for a closer look. A lone figure had entered Dongcang Street.

The man wore a white brocade robe and carried two blades at his waist. Slung over his shoulder was a chubby black eagle. Though he dressed like a rich young man, his steps were steady and his build was as solid as a rock. His martial skills were undoubtedly formidable. Yet he was alone, moving cautiously with frequent glances around—his demeanor slightly suspicious.

Yang Dabiao scrutinized him closely, feeling that he looked oddly familiar. He attempted to retrieve a portrait from his sleeve to check.

The portrait depicted a lean man with a goatee, dressed as a wandering Daoist. He appeared to be in his forties or fifties.

“No, the wonton shop saw a middle-aged man. But this fellow does look a bit familiar – perhaps he’s another wanted criminal.”

Linghu Qingmo took out her 'Thousand-Mile Mirror' from her waist and studied him carefully.

Indeed, the young man on the street behaved suspiciously. After striding a short distance along the road, he suddenly glanced around as if he had heard a call, and then darted into an alley, disappearing from sight.

“Must be an accomplice!”

Yang Dabiao’s excitement rose. He called down eagerly from the upper floor:

“Get off your break – work time is here!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Under the high wall of the building, four resting constables scrambled to their feet, quickly adjusting their hats and donning their sidearms.

Seeing this, Linghu Qingmo silently leaped out of the window and began making her way toward Dongcang District...

Danyang City might not match the capital in size, but with its proximity to the metropolis and convenient transportation links, it maintained a bustling population of over 700,000. Overall, the city still thrived vibrantly.

Xie Jinhuan wove through the crowded streets. Everywhere he looked, throngs of people filled the sidewalks. The enticing aroma wafting from street-side eateries was irresistible. More than once, he walked only to realize that Meiqiu had vanished. Glancing back, he discovered her squatting at the doorway of a shop, begging with her beak wide open.

Meiqiu was impossible to keep fed. Not pausing to waste a moment, Xie Jinhuan had earlier inquired at the county office about Captain Yang Dabiao’s whereabouts. Learning that he was patrolling around Dongcang District, Xie Jinhuan headed in that direction.

Dongcang Street was busy with transport companies and courier agencies, a melting pot of assorted people. The street buzzed with voices:

“Steamed buns...”

“Coal for sale...”

“Where’s the young master headed? Need a horse? A little mare from Fengzhou—she rides well and even foals...”

Yet there were hardly any constables in sight.

Xie Jinhuan, still keen on watching Meiqiu’s antics, wandered the street in search of a familiar face. Just then, he heard someone call out:

“Wait!”

A coquettish, commanding voice rang out—a voice that clearly belonged to a lady with ample bosom.

Xie Jinhuan paused, his eyes darting around. Yet the street was filled only with common traders and laborers; no one matched the image that voice conjured.

“Meiqiu, did you just hear a woman say ‘wait’?”

“Gujii?”

Meiqiu, still perched on his shoulder, looked bewildered as she scanned her surroundings.

It appeared she hadn’t heard anything...

Or was it just his imagination?

Growing increasingly suspicious, Xie Jinhuan searched around until his gaze fell upon a stone-paved alley.

This alley was flanked by rows of warehouses, its depth virtually hidden from sight. The walls soared two zhang high, lending an air of eerie seclusion. In the far distance, he could make out a figure hunched over, offloading something into a drainage channel.

Though distant, his keen eyesight allowed him to discern that the figure wore a yellow hemp robe and a felt hat; around the hat, there was no trace of hair—he looked like a bald laborer. Yet even in his unconscious state, the man maintained a poised gait, ready to spring at any moment. Clearly, he was a seasoned wanderer who often traversed the underbelly of society...

A master of disguise, the man was stealthily blending into the sparsely populated warehouse district.

Could he be a bandit?

Xie Jinhuan had come seeking a familiar face at the county office. Noticing something amiss, he intended to alert the authorities. After scanning the vicinity and finding no uniformed officers, he stepped into the alley, following the direction in which the yellow-robed figure had disappeared.

The stone alley was unexpectedly long; after about half a li of walking, he reached the spot where discarded food—some slurped noodles and broth—lay scattered.

Xie Jinhuan’s ears twitched. Silently, he slipped into a side alley and arrived in front of a warehouse. Pressing his ear to the wall, he caught fragments of conversation:

“Dragon Beard Grass’s been harvested enough; nothing much else to do. How about we go out and celebrate tonight?”

“A few days ago, that corpse by the river attracted the attention of the authorities. The entire city is on patrol now, and higher-ups have ordered discretion...”

“Surely we’re not out to cause trouble. I heard that in Hualou Street a few foreign concubines have arrived – red hair, blue eyes, and breasts bigger than one’s head...”

“Let’s talk when the work is done...”

...

Breasts bigger than one’s head...

Xie Jinhuan noted the crucial details. Convinced that hidden demons were at work, he prepared to leave discreetly to alert a constable.

Believing that he had managed to conceal his aura, he was unaware that something grim had disturbed Meiqiu on his shoulder. Suddenly, there came a sharp “jii?!” as her feathers ruffled wildly, and then she spun about, flustered, before taking flight to a high perch.

Almost simultaneously, voices emanated from within the warehouse:

“What was that?”

“Someone’s outside...”

...

Xie Jinhuan sensed imminent danger. His heart pounded as he resolved to make a hasty escape.

But even then— Boom—

Crash, crash...

About three zhang ahead, the stone wall was flung open. A figure shot out, landing squarely in the alley.

Behind him, the warehouse’s main door burst open, and a man in blue swiftly appeared.

Not only that, but from the rooftop, yet another person descended, landing on a flying eave...