Chapter 36: Arrow Shadows in the Hall

The girl's eyes glittered coldly in her chair, like shards of ice, and she was about to rise.

Zhao Ti said, "Since we're not putting out the lamps, don't go out now—it's easy to see clearly outside."

The girl said, "Didn't you say we'd break out under cover of night? Now you don't think so?"

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Circumstances change. Besides, the timing isn't right now. We just wait for them to come in."

The girl snorted coldly, "Armchair strategy. I don't believe you at all."

Though she spoke thus, she did not rise again, but listened carefully to the sounds outside. With a sidelong glance at Zhao Ti, she said, "If you know martial arts, why don't you carry a weapon on you?"

Zhao Ti stroked his chin. The short sword that might have been Mo Xie's had been hidden in his sleeve all along, but the long sword had been carried on Su Da's back and was not on his person now.

He said, "I ran into a jianghu melee at the foot of Wuliang Mountain and fled in a hurry, accidentally losing it. Miss, could you lend me a sword to use?"

The girl said with a cold laugh, "A martial artist who actually lost his own weapon!"

Zhao Ti shook his head. "It was urgent at the time. Those jianghu people were fighting fiercely—something about Wuliang Sword, something about Shennong Gang, plus some black-clothed men who came from who knows where. It was a real brawl, blood flying everywhere, many dead. The scene was terrifying. I left in such a rush that I lost it."

The girl said, "I see you're dressed in a scholar's robe, posing as a bookish type. What's the difference between you losing your weapon and a scholar losing his brush and ink?"

Zhao Ti waved his hand. "No difference at all. It really wasn't my wish. So if you lend me a sword, I can still help repel the enemy."

The girl pointed toward the corner of the hall inside. "There's one hanging on that wall. Take it yourself. I'm not counting on you to repel any enemy—as long as you don't get yourself killed, I suppose it's rare for me to show such kindness. If all you can do is get yourself killed, better come over here now and let me kill you. That would be a cleaner end."

Zhao Ti rose and went to the corner of the hall. Sure enough, in the shadows he saw an old sword hanging. He reached up, took it down, drew it, and examined it. The edge was still decent, but it was just an ordinary sword.

Just then, suddenly there was a "clang"—Zhao Ti turned to look, and saw that the door of the great hall had been kicked open, revealing a thick swathe of night outside.

The girl remained seated without moving, but her arm had already risen slightly. Zhao Ti knew she had mechanism-triggered poisoned arrows hidden in her sleeve—fatal on contact with blood. The people sent by the Wangfuren Sect had been wary of this very thing, which was why they had been so cautious all along.

Suddenly, from outside came the cackling laugh of an old woman: "Little slut, I advise you to surrender obediently. It'll save us the trouble—and save you from suffering."

The girl said nothing. Suddenly a figure darted in through the door. She raised her hand—"swish, swish"—twice, a flash of black light, and immediately screams rang out as two men collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Ti, sword in hand, walked over and said, "This hall isn't easy to defend either. There are two windows on each side, four in total. They'll break in sooner or later."

The girl said, "Kill one for every one that comes in."

Before her words had even fallen, sure enough there was a sound at the window. She hurriedly waved her sleeve-arrows to shoot, but couldn't hold them off—several people darted in. At the same time, figures stirred at the doorway and a few more entered.

Zhao Ti squinted and looked. The two leading the way through the door were old women. He knew the fat one was called Ping Popo, and the thin one was Rui Pozi. The two were the leaders of this pursuit of Mu Wanqing.

At this point the girl no longer acted rashly, only watching the two old women intently. Then Ping Popo shouted in a coarse voice, "Little slut, what are you stalling for? Get up and fight!" She gripped twin blades in her hands, and as they clashed together, the ringing was grating on the ears.

The girl said coldly, "You've lived to such a ripe old age—if you're going to die, why fight for it at this very moment? That vicious woman surnamed Wang from Suzhou won't come fight me herself, yet she sends you lot of servants to pester me?"

Rui Pozi, standing to one side, said, "How noble and exalted is our Lady's status—you little slut, even getting one glimpse of our Lady would be terribly difficult for you. If you know what's good for you, come back with us obediently, kowtow a few times to the Lady. Maybe our Lady, in her magnanimity, will spare your life. Where's your master?"

The girl suddenly shouted sharply, "My master is right behind you!"

Ping Popo, Rui Pozi, and the others were greatly startled at this and hurriedly turned their heads—but where could they see a single person? They knew they'd been tricked. At that moment the girl fired two short arrows from her sleeve, shooting straight at the two of them.

The two hurriedly dodged, twisting this way and that, barely managing to evade, but those behind them were not so lucky—two more went down.

An old man, still shaken, spoke up: "This won't do. Better to rush her all at once and hack her to death!"

At his words, no one spoke. Right now there were a full twenty-odd people in the great hall gripping weapons, yet not one made a sound. They looked at each other, none willing to be the one charging in at the front to die.

Ping Popo gripped her twin blades, her eyes flickering. Rui Pozi, in a rough voice, said darkly, "Little slut, you've fled from Jiang Nan all the way to Dali. We've chased you for ten thousand li. Even if every one of us dies here, we still must take you. Make your move!"

The girl snorted coldly, "Enough nonsense. I still have eighteen sleeve-arrows. Though it's not enough for all of you, whoever comes first will die. Which of you wants to die first—step forward."

The two old women said nothing. Though they themselves came from the Wang family, those around them were not all Wang people. By now each was already harboring their own thoughts, and their figures unconsciously began to drift backward.

Zhao Ti now came up close to the girl, catching a faint, lingering fragrance. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Ping Popo shout loudly, "This lad is the slut's lover. Seize him first, then catching the slut won't be too late!"

Zhao Ti frowned and said, "You fat old crone, stop talking nonsense. I came in here to ask for directions. This Miss even told me to leave, but you lot won't let me go. There's no justice!"

Ping Popo raged, "What did you just call me, you little brat?"

Zhao Ti sneered, "You're broad and fat. If I don't call you a fat old crone, should I call you a skinny old crone, or Flat Old Crone? At such an age, you've got no shame left."

Ping Popo was so angry her whole body trembled. Gripping her twin blades, she made to rush forward, but Rui Pozi beside her held her back with an iron staff: "Since he's her lover, watch for a trap. Don't be fooled!"

Only then did Ping Popo restrain herself, and the standoff in the hall continued.

No one knew how long passed. A streak of fish-belly white appeared on the horizon, and the dawn crept out. Rui Pozi's expression was grim and hawkish as she ordered in a low voice, "It's light. Pull out first, then we'll talk!"

Then, the twenty-odd people, not daring to turn their backs, faced the girl and slowly backed out of the great hall step by step.

A moment later, there was no longer a sound outside. The girl let out a long breath, and her body seemed to lose all strength as she sank back into the chair, gently closing her eyes.

After waiting another hour or so, the sky was fully bright. Zhao Ti thought briefly, then walked toward the door. The girl behind him suddenly spoke: "Where are you going?"

Zhao Ti said, "I'm going to find something to eat and some clean water."

The girl said, "They won't have withdrawn. They might be lying in ambush somewhere in the courtyard. Go if you want to die."

Zhao Ti said, "They have to eat and drink too—how could they all be lying in ambush? I'll be back soon." Saying this, he actually walked straight out the door.

"You!" The girl watched him ignore her words. Her brows knit and she bit hard on her cherry lips: "If you want to die, suit yourself. Don't blame me for not warning you!"

Zhao Ti left the hall and followed the stone path eastward to look. Kitchens were generally on the east side, with a name for it—called the East Kitchen.

Roses were planted all along both sides of the stone path, their fragrance rich and heady. He passed through a moon-shaped doorway, but just as he stepped in, his footsteps suddenly halted.

He saw a figure dart out from the shadows beside him, face contorted in rage, gripping a single goose-feather saber, its blade glittering coldly, charging straight at him.