How Deep the Scarlet Leaves: Chapter Five – Return to the City

Qian Gui stepped forward, blocking Gu Yu’s path. "It’s a misunderstanding. It’s just our men. They caught a chill on the battlefield and are not in a state to receive guests."

Gu Yu felt a wave of relief and smiled. "What goes around comes around. You saved my Fifth Brother’s life, so let me help you in return." He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small white porcelain bottle, waving it before Qian Gui’s eyes. "This was prepared by a master herbalist at the Shuntian Prefecture; it’s highly effective for headaches and fevers." He started to walk toward the rear hall as he spoke.

Qian Gui blocked him once more. "My thanks, little brother, but I’m afraid of you catching the illness. Better leave it with me." He took the bottle from Gu Yu’s hand. Gu Yu hesitated, then replied, "Very well."

Qian Gui turned and headed toward the rear hall. A moment later, another soldier emerged, smiling at the two of them. "Greetings. Old Qian was worried you might be hungry, so he asked me to find some food." He opened a bundle in his hands and offered several corn cakes. Gu Yu declined, saying, "We ate in the evening; there is no need for the trouble."

"How could you not be hungry after fighting all night? You are being too polite, little brother. Take them!" The man insisted with such warm, irresistible enthusiasm that Gu Yu had no choice but to accept. The soldier sat down unbidden and asked, "Are you both from the capital? I’m here for the first time—can you recommend any fun places to visit?" He was quite the extrovert. Gu Yu replied half-heartedly, while stealing a glance at the corridor leading to the rear hall. He noticed figures appearing there, clearly wary of him and his Fifth Brother, evidently unwilling to let them approach.

What exactly was in that rear hall? Gu Yu and his Fifth Brother exchanged a look, the same question burning in their minds.

By dawn, the sun had begun to rise. The Yongding Gate was thrown wide open, and the bustling movement of citizens coming and going made for a lively scene.

Once inside the gate, men in military uniform stepped forward to meet Yao Feng. Dong Xinwu bowed to the commander. "General Yao, as I have official duties to attend to, we must part ways here. I will certainly visit your residence to express my gratitude another day!" Fortunately, there had been no wind the previous night, allowing both parties to quickly clear a firebreak that effectively contained the forest fire. Later, they hauled sand and stone from the foot of the mountain to further dampen the flames. Even with the situation managed, both sides feared further complications and spent the night on the hillside. The fire burned until the sky turned pale, only subsiding once everything within the perimeter had been reduced to ash.

The group of soldiers and the team of constables, all soot-covered and disheveled, made for a rather bedraggled farewell. Yao Feng, however, did not mind. "If you have the time, we shall have a proper chat later." Having had nothing to do during the night, both sides had exchanged information. Yao Feng had mentioned that General Mao Huaiyuan had already arrived in the capital and was waiting for his rewards in a temporary residence granted by the imperial court. Knowing the address, Dong Xinwu did not press the matter further. He bowed to the soldiers, thanking them. "The capital is my turf, brothers. It’s not easy to come all this way, so next time, I’ll take you all to see the bustle and prosperity of the city."

A smile touched Yao Feng’s stern face. He landed a punch on Dong Xinwu’s chest. "That’s the way of it." Though he was at least twenty years younger than Dong Xinwu, his manner was blunt and informal, yet carried a sincerity that made him impossible to dislike. Dong Xinwu rubbed his chest with a wry smile. Yao Feng waved his hand. "Farewell, then. Until we meet again."

At the rear of the procession, Gu Yu’s gaze lingered on the carriage, as if trying to peer through the heavy curtains. Qian Gui and two others stood guard by the carriage, unmoved by Gu Yu’s unabashed scrutiny. He merely found it amusing. "You kid, you’re far too curious—mind your own business."

The military men were efficient, and in moments, they had vanished without a trace. Dong Xinwu turned back to see the bandits, led by Gao Shengdong and Ding Sibao, along with the Sky Hawk Gang assassins, waiting with their hands bound behind their backs under the watchful eyes of the constables. To prevent escape, Dong Xinwu had ordered the constables to remove every prisoner's belt, leaving them all clutching their trousers. The pedestrians before the gate found the sight both shocking and amusing, gathering around to point, whisper, and mock. The faces of Gao Shengdong and Ding Sibao grew a deep, liver-colored red.

Dong Xinwu frowned and held his official badge high above his head. "Shuntian Prefecture on official business! Clear the way!"

The crowd scattered in a flurry. The escort team moved slowly toward the Shuntian Prefecture. The bright morning sun shone on Gu Yu’s forehead, lifting his spirits. With the two leaders of Bald Tail Mountain captured, the remaining lackeys would crumble in days. The long, arduous toil had finally borne fruit, and he could not help but be happy. His Fifth Brother, nursing a chest wound, leaned his left shoulder against Gu Yu’s. Caught up in his excitement, Gu Yu unknowingly quickened his pace. His Fifth Brother noticed but said nothing to the boy, biting his lip and adjusting his rhythm, though his eyes were clouded with deep concern.

The Shuntian Prefecture office was located on Andingmen Street, not far from the Drum Tower. As the highest administrative body in the capital region, the office was built with grandeur and style. It was a busy time, and the staff moved about with solemn, hurried expressions. Dong Xinwu exchanged greetings with the guards and ordered his men to take Gao Shengdong and the other prisoners down, then entered through a side gate. The office occupied a vast area. Legend had it that when the Yuan dynasty first took power, there was no dedicated office building; they purchased nineteen acres of land from a family named Zhou to build the foundation of the current structure, which had been expanded through generations.

After winding through various halls and courtyards, Dong Xinwu exchanged familiar greetings with the officials he passed. By the time he reached Cheng Jie, the sun was high. Cheng Jie was the magistrate of the Shuntian Prefecture and Dong Xinwu’s direct superior. He spotted Dong Xinwu as he entered the courtyard and walked to the door. "Good work, good work! You have good news, Old Dong?"

Dong Xinwu cupped his hands. "Congratulations, Magistrate Cheng. We have apprehended the leaders of Bald Tail Mountain; the remaining riffraff will be rounded up before long." He recounted the events of the night. Cheng Jie tilted his head, listening intently and stroking his mustache. When he heard of the heavy losses suffered during the ambush on the mountain, he frowned and interrupted. "Old Dong, you sent word when you first captured Gao Shengdong, saying you wanted to use him as bait to catch Ding Sibao. Everything went according to plan until you reached Tongfu Inn and lured them up the mountain in the middle of the night. How did you fall into an ambush during the arrest?"

Dong Xinwu’s heart tightened. He tried to sound nonchalant. "The enemy was in the light and we were in the dark; it’s possible they had mobilized reinforcements we didn't know about."

Cheng Jie’s eyes darted rapidly. He shook his head. "No. You said yourself that the bandits were unfamiliar with the capital and wouldn't strike easily. Tongfu Inn is the closest stop to the city, and you deliberately delayed your arrival until after sunset to force their hand. Therefore, the inn was the critical link. You must have sent men to scout it—how could you have overlooked the true identities of the innkeeper and his staff?" He looked at Dong Xinwu. "Who was responsible for the Tongfu Inn operation?"

Dong Xinwu’s expression stiffened. "Fang Wei." He made a final effort. "Those assassins were highly skilled at concealment. To avoid alerting them, Fang Wei and his men posed as travelers and couldn't thoroughly vet them, so they were deceived by the assassins' disguises. He lacks experience, and as his mentor, I am also responsible, but his attitude is upright and he is willing to work hard..." Fang Wei was the constable known as Fifth Brother.

Cheng Jie observed Dong Xinwu’s expression and suddenly smiled. "I was just asking out of curiosity; don't be nervous. If the Prefect asks, I will report the truth. As for Fang Wei’s future and any punishment, we shall leave that to the Prefect’s decision."

Dong Xinwu knew this man was slippery, so he offered a dry laugh, though his face remained tense. Cheng Jie lowered his voice, adopting a confidential tone. "Everyone in the office knows you and Constable Li are on bad terms. Not long ago, you reported his men for corruption, leading to four of them being imprisoned, which was a great blow to his reputation. Now that this has happened, Constable Li will certainly look for a way to make trouble for you. If you want to protect Fang Wei, you must understand that someone has to take the fall." His index finger tapped lightly on the table. "That young constable has been with you for less than six months and doesn't seem very sharp. It’s no great loss—why not sacrifice his future to save his Fifth Brother?"

He was speaking of Gu Yu. Dong Xinwu’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, trembled violently.