novelAbuy Chapter 037: When the Wind Rises
Chapter 037: When the Wind Rises
Zhao Bocong stared at Qin Keqing for a long time.
"Zhou Sanwei, Wei Shun, and Zhi Jia all died in the Dali Temple's death row. The contact person of the Prince of Puan's Mansion was not listed on the intelligence network's roster."
He paused.
"It's you."
Qin Keqing also looked at Zhao Bozong with a calm expression. She reached out and took something from inside her clothes, placing it on the table.
A copper coin.
It was missing a corner, exactly the same as the one in Zhao Bozong's sleeve, and also exactly the same as the one in the gray-clothed man's hand just now.
The three copper coins with missing corners represent three independent lines of communication.
"Master Zhijia found me three days before he was imprisoned by Qin Hui in the twelfth month of the eleventh year of Shaoxing."
Qin Keqing answered softly, almost drowned out by the sound of the rain, "He gave me three things: this copper coin, a copy of the roster, and a sentence."
"What did you say?"
"The day the wooden bird recognizes its master is the day the wind rises."
Zhao Bocong was startled.
The wooden bird recognizes its master.
Zhou Sanwei stuffed the wooden bird under his pillow, and Zhijia hid a list of "unmarked contacts of the Prince of Puan's Mansion" in the temple.
Two people did the same thing at different times, but in different ways.
But they all pointed to the same target—him.
Qin Keqing was the last piece of the puzzle that Zhijia prepared for him.
"You're not from Zhenjiang."
"No." Qin Keqing shook her head.
The voice remained calm, as if telling someone else's story. "Master Zhijia said that my line is the last line. It can only be activated after all the visible lines are broken. My task is to wait, to wait for the master of the wooden bird to appear."
Qin Keqing looked up at Zhao Bocong.
"Prince Puan, the day you received the wooden bird, I stood outside Shunhe Tea Shop all night."
Zhao Bocong was stunned.
"That evening you passed by the Imperial Street, and half of a wooden bird was sticking out of your sleeve."
When you entered the teahouse, Manager Wang used a chipped copper coin to exchange a secret signal with you; I saw it all.
But I didn't come in because Master Zhijia said that I could only reveal my identity when you come to me with the missing copper coin.
Otherwise, I would be an orphan struggling to make ends meet in Lin'an.
Zhao Bocong remained silent.
That's why, for the past two months, whenever she passed by him, her gaze would sweep over his sleeve, but she never asked him a single question.
She knew who he was; she kept watching, kept waiting, and kept confirming.
It wasn't until today, when the man in gray appeared, and when Zhao Bozong took the initiative to reveal his true feelings, that she finally spoke the words that had been weighing on her heart for two months.
"Who is that man in gray?"
"I don't know." Qin Keqing shook her head. "But I saw him twice at the dock. He was checking Li Bao's shipping schedule and also checking Shunhe Tea Shop."
I was also surprised when he took out the chipped coin today. This coin was specially made by Master Zhijia, and there should only be three of them, unless—”
"Unless what?"
"Unless Master Zhijia confessed something in the Dali Temple's torture chambers."
This possibility sent a chill down Zhao Bozong's spine.
Zhijia is already dead in Dali Temple, and Qin Hui's torture chamber can pry open anyone's mouth.
Kui Shun endured for three days before finally revealing a fake list. Did he, like Kui Shun, reveal a part of the real list and then hide the more important part?
The gray-clad man came looking for someone with a chipped copper coin, indicating that Qin Hui's men had already reached the entrance of Shunhe Teahouse.
They knew there was a meeting point here, but they didn't know who the contact was or how to use the code.
They were testing the waters, like a cat poking at a mouse at the entrance of a hole with its paw, waiting to see what would run out.
"Manager Wang," Zhao Bozong called out to the kitchen.
Manager Wang lifted the curtain and came out, his face pale.
"Shunhe Tea Shop will be closed starting today. Take all the account books and the things in the secret compartment and leave the city tonight. Go to Xiuzhou and find a man named Zhao Bogui. Tell him that the Prince of Puan sent you, and he will take care of you."
Manager Wang opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he said nothing. He simply bowed deeply and turned to pack his things.
Zhao Bocong stood up, put the chipped copper coin into his sleeve, and then looked at Qin Keqing.
"Miss Qin, come back to the Prince's mansion with me."
Qin Keqing stood up, closed the account book, and hugged it to her chest.
"A Miss Shen is already living in the side courtyard." Zhao Bozong paused. "She comes from Xiuzhou and has some connection with me."
I will explain your identity to her. Don't worry, I won't reveal anything I shouldn't.
Before her, you are a woman from Zhenjiang who came to Lin'an to work, and because the tea shop has closed, you have nowhere to go and are temporarily staying at the Wang Mansion.
Qin Keqing nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
She followed Zhao Bozong into the rain, and the two walked through the narrow alley one after the other. The rain was heavier than when they arrived.
Zhao Bozong walked ahead with an umbrella, while Qin Keqing followed behind carrying an account book. Their footsteps made a soft sound as they stepped on the wet flagstones.
When he reached the alley entrance, Zhao Bocong stopped and looked back.
The man in the straw raincoat is gone.
But a line of footprints was left on the ground, heading towards the Qin residence.
When Zhao Bozong brought Qin Keqing back to the Prince's Mansion, it was already close to dusk.
The rain lessened, turning into a light drizzle. The lanterns at the entrance of the Prince's Mansion were already lit, casting two warm yellow glows.
Liu An, who was guarding the door, saw Qin Keqing following behind Zhao Bocong. He was stunned for a moment, but said nothing and simply stepped aside to make way.
"Is there anyone serving Miss Shen in the side courtyard?" Zhao Bozong asked.
"Chuntao is over there," Liu An said in a low voice. "Miss Shen has been in her room all afternoon and hasn't come out."
Zhao Bozong nodded and led Qin Keqing through the corridor toward the study in the main courtyard.
The palace is not large, but its winding corridors can separate the view by turning a couple of corners.
One side of the corridor is a white wall with rain pattering on banana leaves, and the other side is a courtyard piled with artificial rocks. Rainwater flows down through the holes of the Taihu stones, making a tinkling sound.
When I pushed open the study door, Shen Qingci was standing in the doorway.
She was carrying a tray with a pot of tea and two cups on it.
They must have heard footsteps to come and bring tea.
Eyes facing each other.
Qin Keqing stood a step behind Zhao Bozong, her plain white dress half-wet from the rain, her hair plastered to her cheeks, and she held a stack of account books wrapped in cloth in her arms.
Shen Qingci stood inside the threshold, her light blue clothes clean and neat, her hair tied up in a bun, and she held the tray steadily.
"Your Highness." Shen Qingci spoke first, her gaze sweeping over Qin Keqing before landing on Zhao Bozong's face.
"Miss Shen." Zhao Bozong stepped aside to let Qin Keqing come out from behind him.
"This is Miss Qin Keqing, a native of Zhenjiang. She has been working at Shunhe Tea Shop these days. The tea shop suddenly closed today, and she has no relatives or friends in Lin'an. I've arranged for her to stay temporarily in the side courtyard of the Prince's Mansion so she can keep you company."
He said it so naturally that even he himself was somewhat surprised.
Then he turned to Qin Keqing: "This is Miss Shen Qingci, from Xiuzhou. She has some connection with my elder brother's family."
The two women exchanged a glance in the corridor.
Qin Keqing bowed slightly, her movements gentle, her waist bending just right, neither too deep nor too shallow.
Shen Qingci returned the greeting, holding the tray steadily, but Zhao Bozong noticed that her fingers tightened and then loosened.
I used too much force just now.