How Deep the Crimson Leaves Fall Chapter Sixteen: Tang Haiqiu

The front hall of the teahouse was bustling with patrons, but the private rooms were tucked away in a quiet corner, shielded by a bamboo grove that provided a natural barrier against the commotion. Few guests had ventured into the back hall today, and the narrow paths remained empty. Li Fu pulled open a door, checked once more to ensure no one was watching, then stepped out and quickly closed it behind him. With fluid, practiced movements, he hurried a few steps and slipped into the room directly opposite.

Inside, a man was already waiting. He showed no surprise at Li Fu’s arrival. The man was handsome and dashing, though a felt hat pulled low over his forehead obscured the upper half of his face. It was Tang Haiqiu. Li Fu sat down without ceremony, lifted the teacup before him, and drained it in one gulp.

Tang Haiqiu fished a stack of silver banknotes from his robes and slapped them onto the table. "You know my nature. That old hag Wang must die by my hand."

Li Fu stared at the banknotes, his expression stony. "You have to be alive to spend this money, you know."

Tang Haiqiu narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Li Fu recalled the fleeting figure he had seen outside Master Fu’s dental clinic. "Perhaps I’m just being paranoid," he said uncertainly, "but I’ve had the feeling all day that I’m being followed."

"You’re overthinking it," Tang Haiqiu dismissed, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Five years ago, before I fled the capital, I used my connections to wipe your records clean. The Wang estate only knows you as a lowly guard; they have no idea you were once a cook at the Zhang manor or a groundskeeper at the Liu estate. Ha, ha."

Li Fu offered a strained smile. "Master Tang, this is the last time I’m doing this." Tang Haiqiu possessed vast wealth, yet he harbored a vile obsession: the systematic ruin of innocent women. Li Fu had been targeted by Tang in his youth; lured by the promise of profit, he had been turned into an informant tasked with finding young, beautiful heiresses for Tang to prey upon. Li Fu, born into poverty and lacking the ambition for honest work, had been blinded by greed and led down a dark path. He had originally intended only to act as a messenger, until one night, he saw a blood-stained corpse with his own eyes.

Since that night, he had lived in constant fear, though he dared not show it. Tang Haiqiu had many informants in the capital, most of them like Li Fu—men with high aspirations but low capability, idle and drifting. Those who refused to obey or showed signs of betrayal would simply vanish after a few days. Li Fu suspected they had met a grisly end at Tang’s hands. Only those who were cunning and obsessed with money like himself had managed to survive this long.

When he heard that Tang Haiqiu had jumped from the city walls, Li Fu felt as if he had been reborn. He found an honest job, bought a small house on the outskirts of the city, and married, hoping for a peaceful life. But two years later, the lecherous villain rumored to have been dead for years had reappeared. Tang Haiqiu was still the same—insidious and treacherous—but Li Fu was no longer the man he once was.

Tang Haiqiu’s face darkened, then he chuckled. "Fine. Help me get my revenge, and we are square. This was my first job since returning to the shadows, and I didn't expect to stumble. I won’t be a man if I don’t settle this score!" The flames of hatred burned in his pupils; it was clear he loathed Wang Shihan to the core.

Li Fu replied mechanically, "What do you want to do?"

Wu Haichao, who had emerged from the front hall, spotted the young man who had been tailing them, sneaking along the path toward the back. He quickly ducked behind a bamboo grove, watching the youth’s movements through the foliage while curiously eyeing the row of private rooms. He rarely drank tea, and being a stingy man, he would never choose such an elegant place; he was unfamiliar with these parts but knew the costs must be high. Could a mere guard like Li Fu afford to spend money here?

The young man’s expression grew increasingly impatient. He had only wanted to make some extra pocket money, but after a morning of tension, fear, and uncertainty, he was exhausted, having found no evidence to show for his trouble. Losing his patience, he stopped in front of a door and flung it open. A cry of surprise erupted from within, followed by a curse: "You little brat! Who are you? You scared the hell out of me!"

*Damn it,* Wu Haichao thought. He watched as the youth apologized and began opening several other doors, drawing shouts of indignation from the patrons. He couldn't step in to stop him now.

"Who are you? Why are you causing a scene here?!" The commotion attracted the tea server, who, upon seeing the young man, flew into a rage and grabbed his arm. "I'm calling the authorities!"

Inside the room, Tang Haiqiu watched as Li Fu, head bowed, processed the plan. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Have you found where that person is staying?" he asked, trying to keep his voice nonchalant.

Li Fu looked up and shook his head. "Not yet. You haven't found him in years—perhaps he’s dead?"

Tang Haiqiu opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden clamor erupted outside. He leapt up and swept out the door like a gust of wind. By the time Li Fu stood, he saw only the hem of Tang’s robe vanishing. He hurried out, but the bamboo grove was swaying violently; Tang Haiqiu had already vaulted over the wall. Li Fu ducked back into his room, but no sooner had he sat down than the door was kicked open with a loud thud. The young man stumbled in, pursued closely by the indignant tea server.

"Who’s there?!" Li Fu feigned shock and anger.

The youth scanned the room and found nothing. He gave Li Fu a stiff smile. "My apologies, I’ve mistaken you for someone else."

Li Fu replied with a smirk, "You look quite familiar..." There were over a hundred servants in the Wang estate, and though they rarely crossed paths, he did recognize this man. A heavy stone lifted from his heart; if they were using such clumsy tactics, the pursuers were clearly not from the government. As long as the authorities weren't suspicious of him, he had a thousand ways to slip away.

The young man shook his head repeatedly. "You must be joking, brother. I don't know you at all."

Outside the room, Wu Haichao crept closer, straining his ears to listen, though he saw no sign of Tang Haiqiu.

In the west courtyard of the Wang estate, Gu Yu lay on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling and lost in thought. A sudden commotion broke out in the yard. He scrambled up and opened the door to see the steward, Si Xi, directing the servants. "Be careful! Don't worry about the heavy items, just take the essentials. We won't be staying here for more than a few days anyway."

Servants filed out of Wang Shihan’s second-floor room, carrying washbasins and garment racks. They nodded as the steward gave his orders. Xiao Hong stood at the doorway, bustling about. "Take that one, but we don't need that... I said be careful not to bump it! Goodness, why are you all so clumsy?"

Gu Yu walked up to Si Xi. "Steward, what is all this?"