After the rainstorm began, households throughout the county rushed to gather in drying grain, bring in laundry, patch leaking roofs with straw, and comfort children awakened by the sound of rain.
Meanwhile, the You residence was filled with music, dancing, and revelry. Although it was long past the proper hour for sleep, the manor remained brilliantly illuminated. Tables overflowed with food and wine.
You Qian sat at the head of the room with his robe hanging open, his face flushed with drink and lust.A maid with peach-blossom cheeks nestled against his left side. The fair-faced opera performer from before sat upon his right thigh. Humming along with the tune, he watched several dancing girls perform gracefully before him. To the rhythm played by the musicians, he applauded drunkenly. “Good! Good! You’re all wonderful!”
You Qian was thoroughly drunk. His bloodshot eyes were cloudy. His oily face wore a vulgar expression as he opened his mouth and drank the wine the opera performer fed him.
“Mmm—” He smacked his lips theatrically. “Wine fed by a beauty tastes especially good.”
After the incident involving Fan Yaosan, he had neglected the performer for a while.
But after a long period without any movement from the authorities and after Zhao Baozhu had even personally written to thank the You family for helping collect grain taxes and promised to draft a recommendation for entry into the Imperial Academy, You Qian had forgotten the lesson.
His lust gradually returned.
And so he summoned the performer back.
He burped drunkenly and peered at the heavily made-up performer through bleary eyes.
Pointing at the corner of the man’s eye, he said: “Y-your makeup isn’t right. The eyes… the eyes should be drawn upward a little more…”
That little Magistrate Zhao… Those cat-like eyes of his. The way he glanced sideways at people was enough to make one’s heart itch.
You Qian was practically soaked in alcohol.
He didn’t even hear what the performer replied.
He was just about to get more intimate with the beauty when hurried footsteps suddenly broke through the music.
Outside, someone carrying a lantern rushed through the darkness and burst into the room.
With a loud thump, he dropped to his knees. “M-Master! Something terrible has happened!”
You Qian paused.
Turning around, he saw an elderly steward with a wrinkled face kneeling among the dancers.
Frowning, he felt particularly irritated at having his entertainment interrupted. “Get out, get out, get out! Stop bothering me!”
The steward saw that You Qian was completely drunk and utterly unaware of the gravity of the situation.
So anxious that blisters practically seemed ready to form on his lips, he shouted: “The silk factory—”
“The silk factory is on fire!!”
You Qian froze. Half his drunkenness vanished instantly. He turned and glared at the steward. “W-what did you say?”
For a moment he even wondered whether the alcohol had damaged his hearing.
The maid and opera performer quietly retreated to one side. The dancers throughout the room fell silent.
The steward’s face was ashen. Trembling, he said: “T-the silk factory somehow caught fire. We have to put it out immediately, Third Master!”
This time You Qian heard him clearly.
He sprang to his feet.
The drunken redness vanished from his face.
Pointing at the steward with a shaking hand, he demanded: “Y-you explain this to me clearly!”
“How did it catch fire?”
“How much has burned?”
The raw-silk business was the You family’s single greatest source of income.
When the two elder masters had still been alive, they had guarded the factory with extreme care.
No matter how useless You Qian might be, he knew perfectly well that nothing could happen to that factory.
Hadn’t it just been raining?
How could it possibly have caught fire?
The old steward was also completely at a loss. Seeing You Qian’s expression, he was so frightened that even his voice dropped several notches. “I-I don’t know why. It suddenly caught fire. Because it rained, the surrounding mountains are fine, but it’s just, the warehouse storing the raw silk…”
With a loud crash, You Qian fell to the ground together with his chair.
The dishes and wine on the table were dragged down with him. Porcelain plates, bowls, and cups shattered all over the floor, and more than half the wine splashed onto his own body, leaving him in an utterly bedraggled state.
“You… what the h*ll do I care about some barren mountain?!” You Qian’s face turned blue-white with rage as he snatched up a wine cup and hurled it at the old steward. “Go put out the fire! All of you, go put out the fire!!”
The old steward jumped in fright. Luckily, You Qian was drunk and lacked strength in his arm, so the cup failed to hit him in the head. He hurriedly scrambled up and ran outside to call for people.
You Qian collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily. Only now did his alcohol-soaked brain begin turning again. Even riding at top speed, it would take a quarter of an hour to get from the You residence to the silk factory. By the time the messenger had gone there and back, and more people were dispatched, the factory would probably already be burned empty!
You Qian managed the family ledgers himself. The mere thought of how much all that silk was worth nearly made him cough up blood. His face flushed red and green as he struggled up from the floor and glared at the beauties in the room. The lustful look from before vanished, replaced by something ghastly as a demon’s visage.
“All of you, get out!!” He lunged forward and swept the entire table of food and wine onto the floor, shrieking hysterically, “Go put out the fire! All of you, go put out the fire!!”
The dancing girls immediately went pale with fright and fled together with the musicians in a chaotic swarm. Outside, the courtyard had already descended into complete disorder. The entire You household was brightly lit, servants crowding the yards. Every guard had been mobilized. The fastest horses were brought out, carts loaded with water buckets, and everyone rushed toward the silk factory.
***
Half a quarter-hour later, beside the silk factory.
After setting the fire, Zhao Baozhu and the others had hidden themselves in a secluded place, watching as faint lights gradually appeared at the end of the mountain road in the distance, the You family’s men had arrived.
But by now, the silk factory had already been burned down to an empty skeleton.
Standing in the darkness, Zhao Baozhu looked at the tardy arrival of the You family’s people. A cold gleam flickered in his eyes as he snorted. “I overestimated them.”
Even if the You family managed to extinguish the flames now, nothing would remain.
From afar, Zhao Baozhu watched the line of carts and horses winding along the mountainside like a long serpent. Tightening the reins around Molin’s neck, he turned to look at the silk factory worker being restrained by Shanyi and lowered his eyes.
“Brother Liu, you may release them now.”
At his words, Shanyi removed the hand pinning the worker’s shoulder, shoved him forward, twirled his sword once before sheathing it, and lifted his head to look at Zhao Baozhu.
The burning of the silk factory had already succeeded. But Shanyi instinctively felt Zhao Baozhu still had other plans. His phoenix eyes burned brightly as he stared at Zhao Baozhu seated high atop his horse, only to hear him say to the worker: “I’ll trouble you to lead us around the back mountain to the You residence.” Zhao Baozhu curled his lips at the terrified worker. “I’ve heard there’s a small side gate in the You manor that leads directly into the rear courtyard. Please take us there.”
The worker’s eyes widened instantly. Zhao Baozhu had spoken plainly enough that even he could guess what this county magistrate intended to do. Shanyi understood as well. He froze for a moment, then his phoenix eyes suddenly lit up as he shouted: “What a brilliant plan!”
At this moment, the You family had sent the bulk of their men to fight the fire, meaning the manor must now be poorly defended. If Zhao Baozhu led people around the back mountain into the You residence, they could strike straight at the heart of the enemy!
Seeing that he understood, Zhao Baozhu smiled faintly. “I regret not discussing it with you beforehand, Brother Liu. I was worried the You family might suspect arson and therefore wouldn’t send all their men to the fire. But judging from things now, I truly overestimated that fool You Qian. Since fortune favors us, we may as well wipe them all out in one stroke.”
But Shanyi was even more excited than he was. Striding forward several steps, he glared at Zhao Baozhu and said, “Why are you wasting time saying all this, my lord?! Opportunity knocks but once, let’s hurry and seize that dog thief!”
Zhao Baozhu broke into a smile. “Then let it be as Brother Liu wishes.”
He tugged the reins, turning his horse around while raising an arm behind him to call out to the crowd: “Let’s go!”
***
Meanwhile, at the You residence.
You Qian was in a towering fury, smashing everything smashable. Every servant in the manor who could still walk or carry a bucket had been driven off to South Mountain Slope to fight the fire. The vast residence now lay deathly quiet. Only a handful of guards remained, along with a few elderly servants too frail to move, and a courtyard full of the three brothers’ wives and concubines.
The pretty maid and the little opera performer hadn’t managed to flee earlier. The two of them huddled in a corner, watching You Qian stand amid the wreckage, panting heavily, his face like a demon’s.
After venting his rage, You Qian finally calmed down enough to notice something was wrong.
With rain pouring down so heavily today, how could a fire have started for no reason?
Unless someone had deliberately set it,
The thought struck him like a sudden revelation. He shuddered violently, followed immediately by overwhelming fury. Who had the audacity to burn down the You family’s factory?!
His first suspicion naturally fell upon the workers guarding the silk factory.
Could it be that one of those blind fools had turned traitor against his masters?
His earlier rage faded as he frowned deeply, beginning to think it through carefully. Yet before his rusted brain could complete even a single turn, a thunderous crash suddenly erupted outside!
“Ah!”
The sound was enormous. The maid and the opera performer shrieked from their corner, then quickly clapped hands over their mouths in terror of angering You Qian.
You Qian jerked his head up. “What happened?!”
But no one answered him. As chaotic footsteps drew closer and closer outside, the screams of the You family women rang out from the rear courtyard. Hearing the commotion, You Qian’s expression changed drastically. He rushed toward the doorway to see what was happening.
But just then, a figure crashed directly into him.
The next instant, an enormous force struck his right shoulder, sending him flying backward. His back slammed hard against the wall, and a piercing pain exploded through him.
You Qian cried out in agony. Amid the shrieks of the maid and the opera performer, he struggled to rise, but before he could even open his eyes to see who had kicked him square in the chest the moment the door opened, a foot pressed down onto his neck, pinning him immovably in place.
A crisp voice sounded above his head.
“You Third Thief.”
Hearing that familiar voice, You Qian’s entire body jolted. He opened his eyes to see a breathtakingly beautiful face looking down at him from above.
Zhao Baozhu wore his official robes and black gauze hat. Strands of hair had come loose from the rush of travel and clung damply to his forehead. Moisture soaked his face; his willow brows were dark as ink, his lips red as blood. He looked at You Qian with a half-smile, while those catlike eyes that once ensnared souls now gleamed like poison.
“It’s been a long time.”
You Qian gaped, forgetting even the pain in his body. “Y-Young Lord Zhao? How did you…”
Before he could finish, a crowd of villagers flooded in behind Zhao Baozhu. Tao Zhang immediately stepped forward and yanked You Qian out from beneath Zhao Baozhu’s boot. Tao Rui tied him up with hemp rope, while a burly man whose daughter had once been violated by You Qian and later thrown herself into the river approached with reddened eyes and delivered several resounding slaps across his face with fan-sized hands.
“AH!”
Two large teeth flew from You Qian’s mouth at once, foul blood spraying from the corners of his lips. Filled with terror, he stared at the many people who had suddenly appeared before him. At a glance, he recognized six or seven of his personal enemies.
Why were all these people here?!
Even now, You Qian still refused to repent. Spitting blood as he spoke, he stared at Zhao Baozhu in disbelief. “Th-this… what exactly is going on? M-My lord, ”
At this point, he no longer even dared call him “Young Lord Zhao.”
Zhao Baozhu looked at him and could hardly be bothered wasting words on such trash. He simply waved a hand. “Chao Jia*!”
* to search a house and confiscate possessions
At his command, everyone in the room sprang into motion. Some searched drawers, others emptied cabinets. Planting one foot atop a stool, Zhao Baozhu raised his voice: “Ledgers, silver, letters, rosters, documents, jewels of every kind, confiscate everything! As for the servants, wives, concubines, children, and descendants still in the manor, tie them all up first. Every last one of them, haul them all back to the yamen for interrogation!”
You Qian was utterly stunned.
Under such overwhelming shock, he could barely react at all. His chest, arms, jaw, and cheeks all throbbed with pain, yet that very pain cleared his mind somewhat. The brain that had rusted over from years of pampered tyranny finally began turning again, and all the events of recent days suddenly linked together in his mind.
Then You Qian’s expression changed violently.
He had fallen into a trap!!
Who had set the fire no longer needed saying!
The more You Qian thought back over Zhao Baozhu’s actions, the more terrified he became.
First, Zhao Baozhu had acted as though sincerely befriending him, willing to associate with him as one scholar to another. Then he tempted him with a recommendation letter to the Imperial Academy. Afterward, he killed Fan Yaosan to establish authority, winning people over and gathering those who bore grudges against the You family. Then he burned the silk factory, severing the You family’s source of wealth. Calculating that You Qian would panic and rush to save the fire, he struck while the manor stood empty and captured the entire You residence in one fell swoop!!
First courtesy, then force. Feint east, strike west. Lure the tiger away from the mountain. To capture the bandits, first seize the king!
Move after move, step after step, it was a chain stratagem!
You Qian felt as though mountains were collapsing inside him. The blood drained completely from his face. His limbs turned weak and numb, as though someone had ripped the spine from his body. Unable to draw a proper breath, his face turned deathly gray.
“You… you, ” He stared at Zhao Baozhu, lips trembling. “You… you came for my life!”
Zhao Baozhu slowly turned his head, cold light flashing in his eyes. “So you understand now?”
Staring at You Qian, his emerald brows and crimson lips looked to him like a venomous snake flicking its scarlet tongue.
“There’s no need to rush. Your second brother, your eldest brother, we’ll settle accounts with them one by one.”
You Qian felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss. The last trace of strength propping him up vanished completely. He collapsed limply against the wall, hissing air through the gap left by his missing teeth.
Only at death’s door did he finally realize what kind of person he had provoked.
