Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Who’s looking for this supervisor?”

A crisp, feminine voice followed immediately, seeming to come from the shadows in the study or from the terrifying giant tiger itself.

He Yu took another step back. The captured Mounted Bandit was even more terrified, covering his face and trying to hide. Of those under the eaves, only Yun Shen remained expressionless, calmly watching as Chen Shu stepped forward instead, gazing with keen interest at the striped tiger.

And the tiger did not lash out. Quietly maintaining its stance with one paw forward, it locked eyes with Chen Shu for a while, then unexpectedly lowered its head without a sound, just as Chen Shu reached out in time and allowed the tiger to sniff her hand carefully.

“Well, she sure seems to like you!”

The feminine voice sounded again, this time clearly nearby. Before the words had faded, a tall figure indeed emerged from the study. She wore flowing black robes with no adornments, her hair simply tied back with plain cloth. At first glance, she seemed even more brisk than her voice.

The giant tiger turned toward the sound, its purr growing louder, tinged with a hint of delight. It sidled up to the woman, yet deliberately brushed past her as if teasing, gently sweeping her hem with its thick tail. The furry tail lashed about nimbly and softly, seeming accidental yet intentional. Just as the others were holding their breaths, the woman lightly reprimanded it.

“Enough now, tiger. We have visitors.”

The giant tiger retreated into the shadows, and only then did the few men outside seem to regain their composure. He Yu quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, “May I ask if you are…”

“I am Shen Jie.” She cut off He Yu. Yet her gaze was not on him, but instead precisely on the Mounted Bandit brought to the yamen for judgment, looking him over before adding, “So, did you catch some major fugitive, or have a grievance to air?”

“He’s an escaped prisoner, but not a major one.” Yun Shen pushed the Mounted Bandit forward and said, “This man was robbing people in the Zhanglin area, where we once caught him in the act. Today we happened to meet him within the pass. We took the liberty of apprehending him and brought him here.”

“Oh? You witnessed him robbing in Zhanglin?” Shen Jie raised her eyebrows, her face showing no smile. Instead, she examined the others, her gaze finally settling on the child. “If you really captured a bandit and did a righteous deed, the authorities ought to reward you. But I see you lot move like martial artists. Keep in mind, if this stems from some martial arts dispute sparked by conflict, these are matters the imperial court can neither oversee nor has interest in overseeing.”

At these words, Yun Shen’s expression turned cold. He Yu and the nearby child seemed accustomed to such talk, remaining calm. He Yu even bowed respectfully again and said, “Master of the Right Supervisor, your wise eyes discern all. This man is merely a lookout thief. Though we didn’t witness the crime firsthand, his accomplices have already been seized on the spot and are held in the Zhanglin Village yamen. By now, they’ve likely confessed. You need only send one of the Magistrate’s Men to Zhanglin to verify it.”

Shen Jie laughed, nodded, lifted the hem of her robe, and with a long stride, truly stepped out the door. She beckoned to the yamen runner, gave a series of orders, and the Mounted Bandit was led away.

She continued pacing, circling the three of them once more, and remarked, “What you say holds merit! I have already sent a swift rider to inquire. But there is one matter I hope you can clarify for me—since you never witnessed this man commit the crime, how were you able to identify him in the crowd at Diancang Pass?”

Brother He turned to exchange a glance with Yun Shen, who averted his gaze and spoke calmly: “But this man had been loitering furtively ever since the three of us passed through the gates. He tailed us all the way to the Sword Discussion Tournament registration point. Clearly lacking any martial prowess and acting clumsily, he even accidentally bumped into us once while following. Moreover, it’s unlikely he intended to register for the Tournament—that’s one clue. Then, when his brother was captured, Brother He proposed we attend the Tournament together. This happened in the wild night, amid vast mountains and fields—which explains how he, possessing no martial skills and unfamiliar with the paths, yet managed to find his way to Diancang Pass.”

“After Brother Yun and I grew suspicious, we first took a deliberately longer route to confirm he was indeed pursuing us. Then, we devised a small scheme,” Brother He chimed in. “I pretended to linger behind at a shop while he escorted Little Shu ahead. The man actually faltered—confirming he wasn’t targeting me alone. That’s the second clue. In other words, having known Brother Yun and Little Shu for only a few days, the only people harboring ill will toward me and also toward them could only be those Mounted Bandits.”

“Oh? So whom did the bandit follow in the end?” asked Shen Jie with keen interest, twisting her gaze to fix on Yun Shen. “Surly it was you?”

“I am merely a scholar who couldn’t subdue a chicken, let alone contribute when capturing bandits. That man had not the faintest reason to tail me.” Yun Shen replied, his tone unhurried.

Shen Jie’s gaze drifted slowly to the left, glancing over the Magistrate’s Men beside the corridor, then sliding over the wooden pillars, before finally resting back at the entrance of the study.

At the doorway, Chen Shu seemed to sense something as well. She looked up, froze momentarily, then snapped back to reality and reluctantly released the tiger’s tail she had been toying with.

Inside the room, the tiger rumbled discontentedly.

“She lies! It wasn’t me who insisted on petting it—she lured me in—” Chen Shu protested hastily.

“So it was you whom the bandit had been trailing?” Shen Jie interrupted sternly.

“Huh?” Chen Shu blinked in confusion before instinctively casting a helpless look toward Yun Shen. “Who?… Oh! The mounted bandit… M-maybe, I suppose so?”

“‘Maybe’?” Shen Jie mirrored her tone, lips curling into a faint, half-amused smirk.

Yun Shen remained expressionless, offering no hint. Chen Shu turned pleadingly toward He Yu, who hadn’t been paying attention, his focus nervously fixed on the massive tiger’s tail sweeping ominously from the shadows. He took another silent half-step backwards, a light sweat pearling on his brow. Stuck, Chen Shu swallowed nervously and forged on:

“Most likely he was following me—after all, he scrambled the moment he saw me! When captured, his legs turned to jelly. If not guilt, what could explain it? And whether he was mounted bandit, or some other kind of bandit—does it matter? Capture him, interrogate him properly, and let him confess himself!”

To her astonishment, Shen Jie froze momentarily—and then let out two sharp barks of laughter. “Spoken like true indignation, young lady!” she declared, her eyes gleaming with unexpected approval. “But court rulings cannot proceed on spirit alone. If that man was so terrified of you, why chase you all the way to Diancang Pass? Why the ceaseless tailing? The strangeness you dismiss—have you truly pondered it?”

“That,” Yun Shen interjected smoothly, “is precisely the detail we must entrust the Master of the Right Supervisor to investigate.”

A sharp frown eclipsed Shen Jie’s earlier amusement. Her fingers tapped against the porch pillar—tap, tap, tap—a sound like heavy raindrops hitting stone. “Bandits have plagued Yunan relentlessly lately,” She stated, her voice hardening. “Higher authorities are currently tracking the root of it. There may be formidable factions manipulating events behind the scenes. This case has complex ties; for now, its details must remain strictly among us. Do I make myself clear?”

“Of course!” Chen Shu declared at once, puffing her chest out slightly. “Those few Mounted Bandits were captured by me, personally! Whether it’s a great feat or a trivial chore—in defending justice, I—that is, we three—never back down!” He Yu nodded wearily alongside her enthusiasm, wiping his brow.

“—Hold on,” Shen Jie interrupted sharply, fingers halting mid-tap against the pillar. “Did you say ‘those few Mounted Bandits’? Were they captured by you alone?”

“Yes,” Chen Shu confirmed, her gaze drifting distractedly toward the tiger’s tail whisking invitingly within the study. “It was… well, as soon as I moved, within one move both were utterly defeated—”

Then it happened. A faint whistle tore through the air. Barely registering the sound, Chen Shu’s head snapped up in surprise, her hand already instinctually raised beside her neck, fingers clutching a weighty token. Engraved upon its surface were two small characters: Da Li.

—There could be no doubt. That token had flown from the hand of Shen Jie standing meters away. Delivered through the air with lethal speed, meant either to graze her ear as a threat—or worse. Had that swift hand not caught it… the thought sent chills down the spines of He Yu and Yun Shen.

Yun Shen’s head whipped around, his glare searing into Shen Jie.

“What is the meaning of this, Master of the Right Supervisor?!”

“Impeccable reflexes!” Instead of apology, Shen Jie’s eyes blazed with intense, undisguised admiration. She crossed her arms and clapped firmly. “Truly formidable skill! If I were a Mounted Bandit, the very sight of you would send me fleeing!”

With matters settled, Chen Shu, Yun Shen, He Yu, and their guide boy made their way back toward their lodgings.

It was high noon. As if by magic, the long street had transformed itself within that single short hour. Where earlier stalls peddling clothing, cold steel, even antique scrolls stood, small chairs now sprouted haphazardly like weeds along the pavement. Waiters from restaurants squeezed into half-frontages darted along the roadside, ferrying steaming meals and jugs of liquor to patrons crowding the hastily laid tables.

The clamor of voices swelled, amplified by the noon heat and the dense press of bodies cramming the already narrow street. But the true assault was olfactory. The fragrance of countless dishes—rich, savory, enticingly fragrant—drifted from one end of the lane to the other and back again, weaving through the throng. Visible steam rose into the sunlight from steaming plates at each makeshift table, a feast laid out visually and aromatically, making progress difficult.

Even their young guide seemed entranced. His steps unconsciously slowed, though whether from shyness or rigorous home discipline, he dared only dart fleeting, longing looks toward the bustling meals.

Yet Chen Shu was different. Her eyes were practically glued to the street food stalls, and she had to be practically dragged along by Yun Shen as she inched forward. He Yu, with his good temper, patiently reasoned with her, “The Sword Discussion Tournament includes meals and lodging. The meals they provide aren’t bad. There’s no need to eat outside and risk causing trouble or getting a stomachache. The loss outweighs the gain.”

“My belly won’t get sick!” Chen Shu patted her own belly.

Yun Shen chuckled, seemingly amused despite his annoyance, and released her hand. “Then go ahead and eat. Oh, I almost forgot. Did someone happen to forget her money pouch before we left?”

His reminder prompted Chen Shu to reach behind her back. She truly couldn’t find her small bundle, and her voice immediately dropped lower.

“… Can I place it on credit?”

“Why don’t you ask them and see?” Yun Shen gestured toward the stalls with his chin.

“… Are you mocking me again?” Chen Shu puffed out her cheeks and looked up at him.

Yun Shen’s smile deepened, just as he was about to answer, when a childish voice piped up from behind him.

“—It’s alright, my treat!” the child declared with resolution, making a grand sweeping gesture. “Come on, let’s go eat some tasty food!”

He truly produced a small pouch of loose silver, playfully jiggled it so the coins inside clattered loudly to show off, and beckoned Chen Shu over to the street food stalls. This left the two adults—Yun Shen and He Yu—standing dumbfounded, watching the figures, barely a bigger and smaller one, cheerfully dash ahead.

Yun Shen recovered first and was about to call out, but the retreating figures hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps before being intercepted by a stranger.

She looked like a swordswoman, around twenty years old with a ponytail. Her demeanor was lively, and she carried two swords strapped to her back. A small identification tag for the Sword Discussion Tournament hung at her waist. Now she stood blocking the entrance to the food stalls, glaring at the child with blazing anger.

“Ying Wei! I knew you’d snuck out for a bite again! Do you realize how worried the teacher has been looking for you?”