Burlap hangings shaded the dusty side street.

Shibara kept a slim smile on her face as she walked. Neither she nor Israk wore their uniforms, but two traditional wool coats.

Resting against door frames, playing chess, or drinking, several people eyed the two as they passed. Israk scowled back anytime one of them glanced over. “And to think you almost didn’t tell me what you two were doing. What is her plan supposed to be anyway?”

She adjusted an earring that she wore. “Plan? We are causing trouble. Nothing you need to worry about."

"You just said exactly why I should worry.” He thinned his lips. “You can help Ruidie. Just keep in mind that you are not allowed to risk death."

She frowned but didn’t answer.

They stopped before a courtyard entrance. The two plain men standing on both sides opened the gate.

At the center of the yard, an aged bearded man laid relaxed on a bamboo chair, drinking under the spring wind. No one else could be seen, but who knew how many people hid in the surrounding buildings.

The man sat up. “What do the Ashina want? We have a storefront, you know?”

Shibara entered. “Your storefront’s goods are trash.”

Israk shook his head and followed, keeping a hand on his saber’s pommel.

The Escort Agency did have a large building where they did business, and while it was enough for the secular world, entering by the backdoor was the easiest way to declare doing real business.

The man clicked his tongue. “Youngsters these days… Since you want bodyguards, I can assume that you’re acting outside of your clan. Since that's the case, I can also assume that you’ll be walking right into some type of danger and want to use my men as meat shields.”

Shibara slightly narrowed her eyes. “It is natural that your customers may expect to encounter danger, otherwise who would bother hiring bodyguards in the first place? Don’t you agree?”

The man seemingly gave up retorting. “Fine, what are you looking for?”

“We need men for a single day. They are only required to follow and protect. We will remain in Taiping. I am more concerned about the quality and quantity that I can hire than the price itself.”

“Twelve people is the maximum. Nonnegotiable. Any more and the Mayor’s Office will start accusing us of selling armed forces.” He went for another sip of wine.

“Then we want that many third realm experts.”

The man spat out his wine onto the ground. By reflex, the liquor lit aflame as it left his mouth, revealing one of the tricks the second-realm cultivator had. “Since when are third-realm cultivators sold as cabbages?” It was both ludacris and impossible given that there were less than ten experts with cultivations surpassing the second realm affiliated with the agency in the first place. “What you get will all be in the second realm! Fifty silver taels for each to operate until twelve periods pass.”

“I won’t feel safe unless there’s at least one guard I can rely on.”

“I don’t care, Young Lady. This isn’t some renowned sect. No one can order around masters.”

She creased her lips, about to accept when one of the buildings’ doors opened.

The clanking of chains sounded.

“If it’s just strolling around the city for a day, I can use the spare silver.” A tall man whose long curling black hair draped over a baggy brown robe stepped out. “The name is Thanh. I am worth five-hundred taels.”

Shibara tossed Israk a look.

From inside his coat, he retrieved a wooden box that Arsi Chunjie had supplied them. Opening it revealed silver ingots filling its brim.

…

On a familiar street intersecting the Capital Schools, Arsi Chunjie smiled as he looked down. “Yes, that’s correct. I want to meet the casino’s manager.”

Huang Fu frowned as he looked up. The man was obviously suspicious, but he shook his head. “If you have a connection to Taiping’s largest casino, then help my family servant's request and I’ll consider the wager paid.“ Those were the words Hei Ruidie had said. The words had almost caused him to collapse in relief.

Huang Fu’s eyes slowly shifted. He remembered a detail concerning the identity of students including Ruidie. “You are a servant of Luo Manor?” There were two institutions his father complained about dealing with. The Mayor’s Offices and the Ministry of Revenue. “The manor of the Bureau of Taxes Chief?”

“It makes things easier if you already know Luo Yizuan is my father,” Ruidie confirmed from behind Chunjie. “You agree, correct? Then are we ready?” She looked up at the sky, seemingly bored with the interaction.

Huang Fu closed his eyes. “Alright let’s go. I treat the manager as my uncle, but there’s only a short time he’s not busy.” He began to walk down the street. The most popular businesses in the city were all located in Central Taiping.

Chunjie followed. “As Young Master says.”

Ruidie followed behind Chunjie to cement to Huang Fu that her role was over, giving the lead to Chunjie. In the end, Huang Fu agreed, though it didn’t matter whether he agreed or not. She just needed the rational, the pretense. Though even without it, there were many ways to arrive at what she wanted. So far, this appeared to be the easiest riskless path forward.

The building shared the same street as Golden Spices Pavilion. Three floors high and warm in colors. They did not see the games floor because they entered by the backdoor and were led up to the third floor without interruption from the disciplined men beside every entrance. Huang Fu left them in the main room of the third floor as he went further in the building.

Ruidie sat down beside the table in the middle of the room and waved for Chunjie to do so as well.

She once again thought about the difficulty of imparting significant suspicion onto the Xiao Family. By its very nature, the bureaucracy of the Palace could not be relied upon. For the same reason, Arsi Chunjie wanted to bypass the bureaucracy and start an investigation from the very top through Luo Yizuan. It did not matter that the Ran Family could directly point to the suspicions between the Xiao Family and the Tiger Tail Gang. So what did Nine Dragons Gang count for?

The opposing door opened and a broad-shouldered man in a gown sat down, glaring at the opposing pair. As he opened his mouth, Chunjie interrupted him.

“Gui Bian, the Eighth Head of the Nine Dragons Gang.”

“So I was right. What is Luo Manor here for? There is nothing unclean that you can find concerning our businesses.”

“I am acting on our own.”

The man rolled his eyes in contempt. “Am I supposed to believe that?”

Ruidie glanced at the person she sat beside and resisted a smile.

Chunjie’s head slightly lowered but he persisted with a smile on his face. He placed a dusty case in which he opened over the table. Documents filled the case. “I am selling Palace observations concerning the state of the underworld. These are a sample if you will, something I am offering for free and won’t take back." Revealing knowledge here will make things more difficult if he needed Luo Yizuan to investigate in the future, but he wanted to actually see what Ruidie’s wanted to achieve.

Gui Bian picked up the first document. On it were all the major movements of the Nine Dragons Gang for the last week. He stood up immediately. Carrying the case, he left the room.

Ruidie and Chunjie glanced at one another.

“Good. It seems like he’s not the highest figure here,” Ruidie said.

Gui Bian returned. He settled his eyes on both guests. “We are not interested. Men, escort them out!”

…

Shibara stood at the side of the street accompanied by Thanh. The eleven guards have been left with Israk and Xiaosi, which looking back, probably wasn’t the brightest idea. Her raised head caught sight of two familiar figures finally leaving the building. She stopped before Ruidie.

She already knew, but asked anyway. “How did it go?”

“We were kicked out,” she said casually, not considering it a setback. Her eyes turned to the unfamiliar face. “Is this one of the third-realm experts?”

Shibara smiled. “The only third-realm expert. I told you it's illogical to hire that many.”

“All of our instructors should be at least in the third realm. I honestly thought experts were more common.”

“It is only because the foundations of the Three Institutes are deep.” Her hand presented Ruidie to the man behind her. “Consider her an employer as well, Thanh.”

Chunjie spoke. “Thanh of the Red Chain?”

The man who stood at the back of the group smirked. “Usually only the South recognizes my moniker. Employers, are we heading somewhere right now?” The fact they are now leaving the main headquarters of the Nine Dragons Gang did not pass him.

Ruidie stretched her arms. “Chunjie, we’re following you. You said you can immediately bring us to the head of the Black Fan Society. We are in a hurry. You’re not reneging on this promise are you?”

“The Black Fan Society knows me and I know them. However, even if I bring you to their Head, you will need to convince them.”

Thanh missed a step. “What are we doing?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Intimidated?”

The man ignored the insinuation and stepped back behind the group.

“In terms of cultivators, logically the Escort Agency should have the highest quality and quantity, but in reality, it is actually the Black Fan Society,” Chunjie commented.

“How?”

His eyes glanced away from Ruidie. “This trend began a decade ago. No one knows the reason.”

She did not believe him.

Chunjie stayed quiet for not long before stopping the party in front of a grand building.

“‘Red Petal Dance Hall’?” Shibara read.

“This is their current headquarters. It is famed for a Uyurta dance troupe which performs here,” he introduced. Chunjie stopped to the side of the entrance and spoke to one of the waitresses who immediately ran up the side stairs.

The hall acted as a large restaurant. a dozen women in bright red dresses performed at a large stage at the end of the hall. This was one of the more conventional aspects of Taiping’s entertainment industry.

The waitress returned and simply nodded to Chunjie.

He smiled. “Matron Liao has agreed to see us.”

They took the stairs up and past a few more doors. An aged woman sat on a cushion in the last room. Her hand rested on a black folded fan, a namesake. She did not speak but waited until the four guests sat down respectively. “This old woman is called Liao Shimei. Everyone introduce yourselves before we continue.”

Behind the Matron sat a young woman. Two bangs of hair framed her still expressionless. She silently nodded and closed her eyes.

Chunjie began. “Arsi Chunjie, a storekeeper. You are in better health than the last we’ve met, Matron Liao.”

“Ashina Shibara of the Grasslands.”

“Thanh of the Escort Agency. I am currently only a bodyguard.” His voice weakened in front of the Matron despite being a highly achieved cultivator.

“Hei Ruidie of no one besides myself,” she said last.

A flash of a smile crossed Liao Shimei's face before disappearing. “Then out with it, what are you all here for?”

Looking in her eyes, Ruidie decided to be straightforward. “The end goal is to force an investigation indicting the Xiao Family for their illegal activities with the Tiger Tail Gang.”

The Matron chuckled. “Why would I disrupt the delicate balance of the capital’s underworld? And why should I believe anything you say?”

...

Around the room surrounding the table of scattered documents were the Eighth Head Gui Bian, Third Head Huang Gesu, Huang Fu, and finally Jiang Jingxin.

Huang Gesu sat with his eyes closed. Although not particularly old, his grey beard covered his heavy face.

On the side, Jingxin spoke to the other youth in the room. “Leaving a note behind was the best you could do? Not to mention that relations with Zhan Yiting have all but become impossible.”

Huang Fu frowned. “Disregarding Zhan Yiting’s unexpected animosity, I still almost lost close to a thousand taels. You implied that there was something to be gained no matter the outcome.”

Jingxin smiled. “Yes, you were expected to lose close to a thousand taels, but I expected to lose nothing. Which is why I gave the advice as I did. Think of this as another lesson.”

“Jingxin…”

“Shut up, son. The wait is over,” Huang Gesu said.

A man and woman entered the room, the Fourth and Sixth Heads respectively, leaving their subordinates outside.

The woman in a yellow dress swept a glare over Jingxin. “Why is the Jiang brat still here?”

The youth replied with another smile. “It doesn't matter what you all think. I won the position of Seven. The Second Head recognizes me and that’s all that matters.”

None of the other five in the room seemed pleased but did not bother retorting.

Huang Gesu debriefed the two newcomers as they read over the scattered paper.

“The first question is, are these authentic?” the Fourth Head asked at the end.

The woman, who specialized in forgeries, held up a single sheet. “The paper and ink match the type recently used by the Ministry of Revenue.” She licked it. “It might even be the same batch. But the contents are recently written, copies of the original at best. Also, all these papers are filthy. Did they think dirtying them would make them seem more real?”

“If they are copies then is the information itself authentic? We can confirm that everything about the Nine Dragons Gang is true, but we can’t prove if all the information is copied from palace documents can we?”

“There is also the question if these are really offered by Luo Manor. All officials are corrupt, but none are as clean as Luo Yizuan.”

Jingxin suddenly spoke. “Most of these documents are distractions, all useless. For example, we can disregard everything said in them about the Nine Dragons Gang. From here, there are only two important pieces of information. One, the Tiger Tail Gang is currently smuggling a large batch of crossbows and arrows, that are stored in a known warehouse, and planned to be moved sometime tomorrow to an unknown location. Two, although it isn’t stated, the warehouse belongs to the Xiao Family, in other words, we finally know who's been helping the recent expansion of the Tiger Tail Gang. The Xiao Family.”

“Are you saying the only purpose of the man named Chunjie and Chief Luo’s daughter was disclosing this piece of information.”

“There is no other answer. They came to lead us on. That’s why I suggested not listening to them any further, it would have been pointless. To go even further, I would even suggest that it’s suspicious that the specific batch of weapons they chose to reveal to us is coincidently being moved soon.”

“They want us to take action,” Gui Bian concluded.

“Obvious bait,” Jingxin presented with a slight gesture. He sat down as if finishing what he needed to do.

Gui Bian continued. “If the palace knows all this, it would make no sense for Luo Yizuan to reveal this. I certainly don’t believe that one of his servants is actually doing all this under his back to make a profit.”

“Then we’ve confirmed that the palace does not know this at all, and these are not real copies of palace documents,” the woman said. “The Xiao Family has faced no repercussions, and a document of this type indicates that if the palace knew, it would not have been recent information.”

The Sixth Head spoke. “If it's not Luo Manor, the most likely candidate behind all this may be the Black Fan Society. They have the most stable position and may feel alarmed by the Tiger Tail Gang’s growth just as we are. Perhaps they want to kill with a borrowed knife.”

“Why would they care now? They’ve always remained neutral as long as their territory is never challenged,” Gui Bian said.

“White Rain.” Huang Gesu said. “This batch is large. If it's also intended to be sold or traded, who can the crossbows possibly be sold to? The only ones that would buy them for a high price within the capital are White Rain. We don’t know why the Black Fan Society has such animosity towards them, perhaps loyalty to Zhao, but their animosity is great.”

“The subversion group from the Southern Kingdoms?”

“Subversion group? A cult is what they are,” the woman said.

“So will we take action?” Gui Bian asked the most important question.

Huang Gesu closed his eyes once again. “We will.”

“We can’t!” Jinxin stood up. “We don’t do anything. We have neither the initiative nor the full picture. This is a part of another person’s scheme, so no matter what this is, we should not let ourselves be used. The potential rewards are clear, but the potential losses are not.”

“Even so-”

“There is another way to potentially profit from this. We can contact the Xiao Family and offer to sell how we retrieve this information or even another agreement. The Xiao Family simply profits by standing behind the Tiger Tail Gang. Despite competing with them, they may want to form a relationship with us as well.”

“Boy, you have no stake in territory wars. Just like what you told my son, you have nothing to lose. But to us, everyone in the Nine Dragons Gang is brothers and sisters. The Tiger Tail Gang wants our territory in south Taiping, we will do everything to obstruct them. We know this is bait, but even if the city guards appear, it is a greater loss to the Tiger Tail Gang.”

The Sixth Head snorted in agreement. “Brat, as the Seventh, your voice will be heard, but we are the ones making the decision.”

…

“Is everyone hearing all of this?” Ruidie said.

Everyone, with the exception of Thanh who was asked to leave the room, held an earring up to their ear. Their eyes fixated on the center of the room where a reflection created by the mirror and candle Shibara held displayed the figures of the Nine Dragons Gang meeting.

After acquiring funds from Arsi Chunjie, Ruidie immediately took Shibara to visit the materials collection at Grand Heart. She specifically looked for a material sensitive to vibrations in the air. As she had explained to Shibara, vibrations of air were all sound was, nothing more. Shibara used her method on the tiny crystal-like pieces which she imprinted onto all the documents and scattered in the case. Now, they were listening in on any conversation held near the paper with the earrings.

Shibara used the same method as during the Stargazing Exam to show the reflection. Instead of Isitin, the same design was carefully placed on the large white moths native to the Ink Forest across from the Three Institutes. The moths followed the scent of the paper while remaining away from humans until the effect wore off. Luckily they had remained on the same floor. The authenticity of the speaking could be confirmed.

With Shibara’s application of her methods, they were all listening and seeing everything that went on near the documents which Chunjie left behind.

Liao Shimei frowned. “Is the Tiger Tail Gang selling weapons to White Rain?”

“What is White Rain?” Ruidie asked.

“You are young so you don't know. Have you heard of what is known as the Four Pillars?”

She tilted her head.

Shibara spoke. “The East’s Grandmaster, South’s Grandwitch, West’s Grandmonk, and North’s Late Grandshaman. Together these four used to be referred to as The Four Pillars Which Obstructs Zhao. Some say that their very presence protects their skies from invasion. After all, the North was conquered after their Grandshaman died.”

Liao Shimei nodded. “The South’s Grandwitch is commonly referred to by the Southern Kingdoms as their Holy Mother. Her tears of compassion are said to be white rain. Such is where the name comes from. Taizong’s campaign south was never fully successful. True, he established the Southern Protectorate, and therefore acquired ports of the sea routes to the Western Divine Kingdoms, but the Grandwitch prevented him from conquering the rest of the Southern Kingdoms. She, perhaps rightly so, hates Zhao to her core. White Rain itself is an underground organization speculated to be sponsored by the Grandwitch with the purpose of destabilizing Zhao. So can my question regarding the weapons be answered?”

“Although likely, Orchid Bookstore has yet to confirm such a story,” Chunjie said.

“I see.”

Ruidie raised her head. “The Black Fan Society doesn't need to do anything, just have one or two members accompany us like the Escort Agency bodyguards. Your mere presence is what's important.”

…

As the sun was setting, two youth sat on the rooftop of an inn.

“Why are we up here?” Israk solemnly stated.

“This is the perfect place to watch. We also simultaneously feel the breeze of the wind.” Xiaosi looked across the street where the warehouse is. “Fear of heights?” He grinned.

“I do not. You better not give my sister any reason to think so either.”

He shrugged. “Look, the Nine Dragons Gang has arrived. Some of the Tiger Tail Gang are sending people out to notify their people and gather reinforcements as well.”

Israk looked down. Nine Dragons members pulled empty wagons prepared to loot the weapons. If it was him and this was a battlefield, he would prefer burning the place down instead.

One of the bodyguards from the Escort Agency climbed up to the two youths. “Employer, we won’t fight them if that’s what you want us to do.”

Israk smirked. “Fight? You’re not here to fight at all. We’re going to watch the show. When we do enter the stage, there won’t be a need to fight.”

...

The main yard, surrounded by the two storage buildings, was where most action could be seen.

Gui Bian led fifty men to trounce every scattered Tiger Tail member and Xiao Family workers in the warehouse. As they loaded the crossbows into their wagons, the Tiger Tail Gang arrived with reinforcements, and a siege reenacted at the main gate.

Ruidie’s four-person party as well Matron Liao and the young woman by her side watched all of this from the second-floor balcony of one of the storage buildings.

Thanh could not believe what he’s been involved with.

Liao Shimei had surprisingly decided against sending other members to accompany them but wanted to be there herself.

The young woman held a case given to her by Chunjie. It contained his information regarding the Xiao Family’s activities. Chunjie had negotiated with the Matron himself to help hide the involvement of the Orchid Bookstore.

Liao Shimei held out her unfolded fan. The design of the motif on the fan was the familiar black butterfly.

“They really don’t notice us?” Ruidie commented. “Is this method bending light itself?”

“Illusions are among the most complex of the mysterious methods.” Liao Shimei said. “The three most common illusion methods are invading a mind's senses itself, controlling vapor, and controlling light. I am capable of the last and what I’m doing isn’t perfect. If the fools below us paid more attention, they would spot the flaws.”

The conflict below neared its peak. Staffs and tools were the most commonly used weapons, but a large portion also used knives. The Tiger Tail members finally broke past the entrance to enter the yard.

Ruidie stepped forward.

“You won’t wait any longer?” Shibara asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t need people dying in front of me before I end the show.”

The balcony handrail was just wide for her to balance on. Standing on it, she had left the illusion.

Even then, it took a breath of time before anyone noticed a girl standing above them. Individual glances caused more to look up.

Gui Bian recognized her and found his voice caught.

Ruidie had planned to yell out that everyone was an idiot, but now at the moment, she did not smile and laugh, but creased her lips in light sadness. “They remind me of watching ants fight,” the wind carried.

Suddenly, no one knew from who or where, an arrow crossed the yard. Blood spilled. The arrow had grazed her left arm, causing red to begin ruining the sleeve of her uniform.

She clenched down the stinging pain and applauded Israk’s accuracy from wherever he’s hiding. With no point in continuing this farce, she held up an item from within her uniform.

Everyone saw a bell. The bell Principal Yao gifted.

Ever since being given the bell, she had wanted to use or waste it. Lasting promise? Life-saving object? She didn’t care about any of that. If the cat doesn't want to let her pet them, then she might as well make them clean up her mess. So, she rang it. And rang it again. Nothing happened.

Her lips scrunched up. “Is it broken?” She never knew how the bell was supposed to work. Either Principal Yao made a connection to this bell or their hearing is just amazing. She turned back to the frozen crowd. “Hey everyone! Do you think my bell is broken? Did I fail at the last step?”

No one responded and she realized they physically couldn’t.

The meow of a cat echoed from above.

She looked up. More than a dozen blue-robed figures suspended in the air. Against the darkening sky, they were positioned like stars over them. The Imperial Observatory.

Among them was Stargazing’s Vice-Principal Kang. He spotted Ruidie first, then Shibara, Israk, and finally Xiaosi. Each addition reddened his face even more. “No one moves! Wretched gangs, how dare your violence in the city danger the lives of our students!”

Everyone’s staggered in their steps and twisted their astounded features. The Xiao Family workers were the most frightened.

From behind, Chunjie folded his lips. “You had no plan. You just wanted to gather as many groups as possible and cause as much trouble as possible.“ And ‘force the Imperial Observatory's hand’ was left unsaid.

“I needed to gather the groups together with the pretense connected to the Xiao Family. I am unable to make accusations, but the Imperial Observatory can.” Although beholden to the Emperor, they were not a part of the Palace or military. They were from the ascetic world and could, therefore, ignore the trappings of the secular world. “Even if their investigation does not bear fruit, this cannot be hidden. Those that can know will know the Xiao Family’s smuggling activities.” She reminded herself of the night she first encountered the Tiger Tail Gang with Ran Qiang and Xiaosi. “The backing of the school really is great.”