CCWAD – Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Novice’s Survival Rules

Epigraph:

“With martial arts lost and enemies surrounding me, my modern wit is my strongest ‘fist’ in this den of Liangshan heroes. Li Gu, you want to play dirty? Let’s see who’s better at digging traps.”

—

The storm in Lu Junyi’s study seemed to have subsided, but Yan Qing knew that undercurrents still raged.

Li Gu was not a fool. The fact that he could rise from a vagabond to become Lu Mansion’s head steward meant he possessed both cunning and methods. While Yan Qing’s excuse of “damaged kidney meridian” had temporarily fooled Lu Junyi, there was no guarantee Li Gu wouldn’t detect something amiss and attack again. Moreover, in Li Gu’s eyes, a Yan Qing who had “lost all martial arts” was likely no more than fish on a chopping block.

“I must take the initiative; I cannot wait for death,” Yan Qing paced her small room, her eyes glinting. She couldn’t fight, but her mind was intact. The office politics and information games of modern society were now her only weapons.

First, she needed information. The fragmented memories of the original host offered few details about Li Gu, and she had to gather more.

The next morning, Yan Qing changed into a clean blue cloth outfit, deliberately making her complexion paler and her steps appear weaker. She began her “sickbed tour” of Lu Mansion.

She didn’t approach the leaders who were once friendly with “Yan Qing”; they were too straightforward and couldn’t play mind games. Her targets were the inconspicuous but well-informed individuals within the mansion – the kitchen procurement women, the old soldier in charge of feeding the horses, and a few clever young servants who had received small favors from “Young Brother Yi” in the past.

“Mama Wang, the vegetables today are exceptionally fresh,” she leaned against the kitchen doorframe, her voice weak. She casually slipped a small piece of silver into the hand of Old Woman Wang, who managed the kitchen. “I’ve been feeling weak these past few days. Please trouble yourself to stew a bowl of chicken soup for me daily, using some tonic herbs.”

Old Woman Wang’s face broke into a smile as she clutched the silver. “Young Brother Yi is too kind! Don’t worry, it’s all on me! Alas, to think that a good person like you was harmed by such wicked people…” She lowered her voice. “I heard that Steward Li was muttering a few days ago, saying your illness came on strangely, and feared… alas, look at my mouth!” Realizing she had spoken too much, she quickly stopped.

Yan Qing sneered inwardly but put on a more sorrowful expression. “Steward Li… he said that about me? It’s fine; who am I to complain when I’m now useless?” She sighed, seemingly casually mentioning, “Speaking of which, when I returned to the mansion that day after being injured, I hazily saw Steward Li talking to a few unfamiliar faces by the side gate. Those people didn’t look like locals and were dressed quite well. Could they be Steward Li’s old acquaintances?”

Old Woman Wang’s eyes flickered. She glanced around and lowered her voice further. “Now that you mention it, Young Brother Yi, I do recall! There was such an occasion! Those people looked unfamiliar, and Steward Li was very polite to them. Afterwards, he personally escorted them out of the estate… very mysteriously.”

The first clue was confirmed. Li Gu had indeed been in contact with outsiders of unknown identity during her “injury.”

Next, she “weakly” made her way to the stables.

“Old Soldier Zhang, how has my Snowflakes Horse been recently?” She handed the old soldier a flask of inferior wine. This Old Soldier Zhang was fond of drinking, and Yan Qing had often helped him out in the past.

“Young Brother Yi!” Old Soldier Zhang took the wine, his cloudy eyes brightening for a moment before dimming again. “Your horse is fine, but… but Steward Li came to see it a few days ago. He said that you… you can’t ride a horse now and wanted to transfer Snowflakes to the new instructor. I used the excuse that the horse is skittish and temporarily refused.”

Transferring the horse? This was them beginning to test the waters by reducing her resources and status. Anger surged within Yan Qing, but her expression remained unchanged. “Thank you, Old Soldier Zhang. Steward Li is also thinking of my well-being… but,” she changed the subject, lowering her voice, “I vaguely heard Steward Li telling someone that day that he seemed to have another property outside Daming Prefecture? I don’t know if it’s true or not.”

Old Soldier Zhang took a sip of wine, smacked his lips. “Heh, Young Brother Yi, you’re well-informed. There is talk. Some people in the estate have been discussing privately that Steward Li keeps a mistress outside, and she lives quite lavishly! It’s out there, past the East Gate, near Ten-Mile Slope.”

The second clue: Li Gu’s potential financial problems and disloyal intentions.

Over the next few days, Yan Qing used similar methods, piecing together fragmented information like weaving a net: Li Gu had recently had close contact with merchants from the direction of Cangzhou (matching the location of her fabricated injury); Li Gu’s confidantes had privately complained that Steward Lu treated his subordinates too harshly, unlike the generous Steward Li; Li Gu was secretly trying to win over a few disgruntled Zhuang tou (estate leaders) under Lu Junyi’s command…

Although the chain of evidence was not yet complete, its direction was very clear.

The time was almost right.

That night, Yan Qing did not light a lamp, waiting quietly in the darkness. Around the third watch, a small, thin figure, as silent as a civet cat, slipped into her room. It was Fu An, the clever young servant who usually delivered her medicine and had long harbored dissatisfaction with Li Gu.

“Young Brother Yi, I’ve found out what you asked me to check.” Fu An’s voice was filled with excitement and a hint of fear. “Steward Li… he’s arranged to meet someone at the Earth God Temple outside the estate at the third watch tonight! I overheard that they plan to discuss… discuss how to frame you and the Madam, drive you out of the Lu family completely, and even…” He swallowed. “…even resort to foul play against you!”

A cold glint flashed in Yan Qing’s eyes. He was indeed cornered!

“Do you know who the other party is?”

“From their accent, they sound like they’re from Cangzhou! And they’re armed!” Fu An added.

Cangzhou! It matched the location of her fabricated injury again! Li Gu was planning to stage another attack by “bandits” to solidify the “truth” of her injury and, at the same time, eliminate her, this major threat!

What a poisonous scheme!

Yan Qing took a deep breath and quickly calmed down. She leaned towards Fu An and whispered a few instructions. Fu An was first surprised, then nodded heavily, and slipped out as silently as he had come.

At the third watch, at the Earth God Temple outside the estate.

The moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, and only a flickering, bean-sized lamp illuminated the dilapidated temple.

Li Gu paced back and forth, rubbing his hands, appearing somewhat anxious. Facing him were three fierce-looking men dressed in night-walking attire.

“Gentlemen, once this matter is handled, the gold and silver from Steward Lu’s mansion will be yours!” Li Gu said in a low voice. “Later, according to the plan, when that Yan Qing comes out, you will…”

“What will we do?” a cold voice suddenly came from outside the temple.

Li Gu froze, then spun around abruptly.

He saw Lu Junyi, his face ashen, striding in, surrounded by a few trusted Zhuang tou. Behind him followed Yan Qing, looking “shocked and frightened,” and Fu An, who had just gone to report!

“S-Steward!” Li Gu was so terrified that he almost fell to his knees. The three men from Cangzhou, seeing the situation turn dire, were about to make a move when they were instantly subdued by the fierce Zhuang tou behind Lu Junyi.

“Li Gu! How dare you!” Lu Junyi roared, pointing at Li Gu’s nose. “I treated you well, yet you collude with outsiders to harm Young Brother Yi, slander his reputation, and plot to seize my Lu family’s fortune!”

“Spare me, Steward! Spare me!” Li Gu kowtowed repeatedly. “It… it was Yan Qing! He framed me! He’s not injured at all; he’s faking it!”

“Faking it?” Lu Junyi laughed in anger and looked at Yan Qing.

Yan Qing coughed a few times at the opportune moment, her face appearing even paler in the dim light. She spoke weakly, but her voice was clear. “Steward Li, even now, do you still try to blame me? You and these good men from Cangzhou were plotting to harm me here, and we caught you red-handed. You purchased property outside Daming Prefecture, keeping a mistress, from where did you get the money? Why are you secretly trying to win over the Zhuang tou? Do you truly think my elder brother is easy to bully?”

With each word she spoke, Li Gu’s face grew paler. All these things he thought were secret, Yan Qing knew them all!

The more Lu Junyi listened, the darker his expression became. He had harbored a sliver of doubt about Yan Qing’s “injury,” but now, seeing Li Gu’s numerous crimes, even the matter of the mistress and the recruitment of Zhuang tou being uncovered by Yan Qing, that doubt completely vanished. Only the towering rage towards Li Gu and the pity for Yan Qing’s “endurance and investigation” remained.

“Guards!” Lu Junyi bellowed. “Tie up this traitor who seeks glory by betraying his master, along with these villains! Escort them back to the estate for strict interrogation!”

After dealing with Li Gu, Lu Junyi looked at Yan Qing, his gaze complex, filled with guilt and admiration. “Young Brother Yi, you have suffered. It was my foolishness that I almost believed slander and harmed you.”

“Elder Brother is too kind,” Yan Qing lowered her head, concealing the fatigue in her eyes. “It is my duty to help Elder Brother.”

Back at Lu Mansion, Yan Qing sat alone by the window, gazing out at the deep night.

She had won this battle. Relying on information asymmetry, understanding human nature, and a bit of luck, she had successfully overthrown Li Gu and temporarily stabilized her position.

But she felt no joy.

Li Gu’s downfall did not solve her fundamental problem – she was still a “patient” with “lost martial arts” and “damaged kidney meridian,” and she still had to cautiously maintain her disguise in this Liangshan, where strength ruled.

The abnormality in her body was becoming more apparent, and the constriction of the chest binder made breathing difficult. Although Lu Junyi believed her, his pity mixed with scrutiny still made her feel like a thorn in her side.

“Living… is truly exhausting,” she sighed softly, burying her face in her cold palms.

The road ahead was long. How much longer could this “novice,” who had lost her claws and fangs, struggle?

—

(End of Chapter 4)