Crimson Leaves, How Deeply They Fall Chapter 32: The Farewell

In the east courtyard of the prince’s mansion, Gu Yu was packing his belongings. He had arrived with only a single bundle containing his essential items, so packing was a simple matter.

Wang Shihan, supported by Xiao Hong, walked in from outside. "Constable Gu, are you leaving already?"

Gu Yu turned and, seeing the young lady bow, immediately returned the gesture. "Yes. Tang Haiqiu was severely wounded this time and will not be coming to harass your residence again anytime soon. The Shuntian Prefecture and the Five Cities Infantry Command have intensified their patrols, determined to bring this villain to justice."

Wang Shihan held out her hands, revealing two small silver flasks. "A young constable named Wu Haichao gave these to me. He said he found them in the west courtyard."

"Returning property to its rightful owner is only proper," Gu Yu replied. After returning from the Jiqing Workshop to the mansion, Dong Xinwu had decided to lead the team back once the matter was settled. Gu Yu knew that after today, their paths would not likely cross again. He had secretly given Wu Haichao a stern dressing-down; Wu, knowing he was in the wrong, had reluctantly returned the items.

Wang Shihan twisted her fingers together, a look of disappointment crossing her face. Gu Yu looked at her, bewildered. The young woman managed a faint smile. "Since we are parting today, it will be difficult to meet again. I have no way to repay you for saving my life, so I shall simply wish you great success and a smooth career in the official ranks."

Gu Yu was momentarily stunned, but he cupped his hands in a salute. "Thank you." His expression remained indifferent, as if such things held no appeal for him. He slung his bundle over his shoulder. "My colleagues are waiting for me in the front hall. I must go. Farewell."

Watching his retreating figure, a sense of desolation filled Wang Shihan’s eyes. Suddenly, she chased after him. Gu Yu had reached the moon gate when she called out, "Constable Gu!" Gu Yu stopped and looked back, a puzzled expression on his face—why was this girl acting so strangely today? Wang Shihan hesitated for a long moment, her face flushing crimson. "That day I toyed with you… do you hold a grudge against me?"

Gu Yu scratched his head and thought about it seriously. "At first, I was a bit annoyed. But then I realized your life was being threatened, and I was a stranger here. If I put myself in your shoes, I wouldn't have been at ease either. So, I don't hold any grudge."

Wang Shihan nodded, looking relieved. She watched him depart until he was out of sight. The courtyard returned to its quiet state. Xiao Hong watched her mistress’s expression in silence, not daring to interrupt. As a woman herself, she could likely sense the shift in her mistress’s heart. Yet, Wang Shihan was a daughter of an official family; her connection with a minor constable from the Shuntian Prefecture would likely end right here.

When Dong Xinwu and his men returned to the yamen, Liu Yongji had been waiting for a long time. Upon hearing Fang Wei’s account, he was consumed with regret, blaming his own emotional outburst; had he not acted so impulsively, he reasoned, their superior numbers would surely have resulted in an arrest. Dong Xinwu offered words of comfort, noting that even though they failed to capture Tang Haiqiu, they had done their best, and he could not bring himself to blame anyone. Master Zhao had prepared hot soup as usual. Exhausted from the night's work, the men slurped down the soup before Dong Xinwu issued instructions for the next steps and sent them home. He kept only Fang Wei, Zhou Wei, and Liu Yongji to discuss the coordination plan between the fast runners and the Five Cities Infantry Command. By the time the sun rose, they could no longer keep their eyes open and parted ways to return home.

Fang Wei, thinking of his wife, went to the kitchen and asked Master Zhao for a food box with an extra serving of hot soup. As he walked through the corridors of the yamen, he turned a corner and ran into three men in official uniforms. The leader, a man in his thirties with a thin, bamboo-like frame and a small mustache, caught sight of him. "Well, isn't this Fang Wei?"

Fang Wei kept a stiff face and bowed. "This subordinate greets Deputy Head Constable Li." This man was Li Zheng, the deputy head of the fast runners at the Shuntian Prefecture. He was a master of intrigue and maneuvering; he had once tried to apprentice himself to Dong Xinwu, only to be politely turned away. Shrewd and capable, he had risen to the position just below Dong Xinwu in a few short years and had long coveted the head position—a fact of which Dong Xinwu was well aware.

Previously, they had maintained a facade of civility, but the year prior, a wealthy merchant in the capital had abducted and assaulted another man's wife. When the woman's father confronted him, the merchant ordered his thugs to beat them both to death. The case was investigated by a constable under Li Zheng. To escape justice, the merchant bribed the constable to provide false testimony, framing the victims as burglars. When the victims' parents came to argue the case, they were also severely beaten by the merchant. If not for Dong Xinwu’s timely intervention, the two elderly people might have met a grim fate.

The constable who took the bribe was punished according to the law, but the grudge between the two sides was set in stone. Li Zheng had long been looking for an opportunity to trouble Dong Xinwu, and the Bald-Tail Mountain case seemed to be exactly what he was looking for.

Li Zheng smiled at the slightly stiff Fang Wei. "Has Tang Haiqiu been captured?"

"The villain is cunning," Fang Wei replied. "We were careless and let him escape. However, he was severely wounded by Head Constable Dong, and I believe it is only a matter of time before he is brought to justice."

Li Zheng’s expression did not change, his smile remaining fixed. "Your hard work is noted, Constable Fang."

As they passed each other, Fang Wei looked back at Li Zheng’s retreating figure, feeling a vague sense of unease. The morning sun grew increasingly intense, and Fang Wei squinted, lost in thought for a moment before hurrying toward home.

Dong Xinwu saw Liu Yongji out of the yamen and returned to his office to gather his belongings into his satchel. He wondered if he should stop by the morning market for soy milk and fried dough sticks; he had only one daughter, and since she had married, only his wife remained at home. Dong Xinwu did not care for money or power. His life was not exactly impoverished, but it certainly had nothing to do with wealth. Fortunately, his wife and daughter understood his character and only prayed for his safety, hoping he would endure a few more years before retiring.

Just as he slung the satchel over his shoulder, Cheng Jie walked in with a dark expression. "Put your things down. The Prefect wants to consult with both of us."

Cheng Jie and Dong Xinwu walked quickly to the back hall. The Prefect of Shuntian was already seated in the center, waiting. Li Zheng sat to the left, and the two were sipping tea in a measured manner. Dong Xinwu had asked Cheng Jie on the way, but Cheng had only shaken his head, claiming ignorance. Seeing Li Zheng there, Dong Xinwu’s heart sank; his intuition told him this would not be a pleasant meeting.

Prefect Wan, a man in his fifties with a slightly rotund figure, gestured for them to take their seats on the right. He then asked in a measured tone, "Did you capture Tang Haiqiu during the siege last night?"

"Reporting to the Prefect," Dong Xinwu said, "Tang Haiqiu was severely wounded by us. Although he managed to escape, I believe he cannot have gone far. Commander Liu of the Five Cities Infantry Command and I have sealed the nine gates and intensified inspections, and we have increased patrol numbers within the city. Both sides are coordinating to ensure the villain is brought to justice."

Prefect Wan nodded. "You and your men have worked hard. Five years ago, we forced Tang Haiqiu into a corner, yet he escaped. Who could have imagined he would return today? This time, we must not be careless; he must be captured to restore justice to the world."