Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Disappearance of the Gongsun Sisters

Yan Gaoqing and Yuan Luqian were both scholars, unfamiliar with the true danger of that blade. Pei Min, however, was an expert; with a single glance, he discerned the skill behind the opponent’s swordsmanship: in a pitch-black night, the shadow could draw and sheath his blade swiftly and accurately—such mastery was impossible without years of rigorous practice. Moreover, to judge his target by sound and a mere glimmer and cleave the lantern in two, clearly placed him among the ranks of true experts. Someone of this caliber could easily make a living through honest means; Pei Min refused to believe he would resort to thievery without reason.

Yuan Luqian did not fully grasp the intricacies but trusted Pei Min’s judgment. “Let’s see what might be missing,” he suggested.

Pei Min worried the shadow had not yet left the Yuan residence. He slapped his cheeks sharply to clear his head and, together with Yuan Luqian, began inspecting the rooms one by one. Strangely, every unoccupied chamber showed signs of intrusion—locks bore the marks of tampering—but inside, there was not a single trace of rummaging. Some rooms, left vacant for long periods, had gathered a layer of dust, which remained untouched.

Pei Min, Yan Gaoqing, and Yuan Luqian exchanged bewildered looks, utterly at a loss.

If the intruder sought wealth or objects, why break in and not search? If not for gain, why sneak into the residence at midnight and pick the locks?

Yan Gaoqing looked toward Pei Min. “Could it be remnants of Li Wuyi’s gang seeking revenge?”

Pei Min shook his head slightly. “Were it truly Li Wuyi’s men out for vengeance, seeing me, they wouldn’t have fled so quickly. Besides, if they sought revenge, I would be their target; even if Yuan were implicated, there’s no reason to pry open every door.”

The three pondered for a long while, unable to find any explanation.

They decided not to overthink it. Pei Min, worried the shadow might return, invited the others to share his bedding, spending the night in camaraderie.

In ancient times, sharing a bed and conversing into the night was a mark of close friendship and deep bonds. That night, their conversation was lively, and none wished for it to end, so they all slept in Yuan Luqian’s master chamber.

The night passed peacefully.

Yuan Luqian rose early to attend the academy. Though he had agreed to take up office with Yan Gaoqing, he still planned to take this year’s provincial exam, hoping to test the fruits of his long years of study before departing next year.

Yan Gaoqing, wishing to linger a few more days, was entrusted to Pei Min’s care.

The two scholars needed little tending—each with a book in hand, they passed the morning quietly.

Yan Gaoqing read with great concentration, while Pei Min, distracted, kept reflecting on the previous night’s events: he regretted having drunk so much in his excitement, for otherwise he would have caught the intruder and questioned him.

Seeing the old steward pass by the door, Pei Min called out, “Old Yuan, have you found anything missing?”

The steward had served in the Yuan household for fifty years. Not only had he raised Yuan Luqian, but also his father; regarding all things in the Yuan residence, even the master himself knew less than Old Yuan.

Pei Min had told him about the previous night’s events first thing in the morning, asking him to check for missing items and hoping to uncover the cause.

Old Yuan shook his head. “Nothing’s missing, not a single valuable, nor any sign that worthless things were disturbed. I really don’t know what the thief was after. Master and mistress are honest officials, and there’s no family heirloom worth coveting.” He too was baffled.

Pei Min, always sharp-minded, did not believe this was a mere accident. Thinking it over, he decided not to let the matter drop: if it concerned Yuan Luqian or Yan Gaoqing, as their friend, he was duty-bound to help; if it was because of him, he certainly could not let them be implicated.

“Brother Yan, I’ll be going out for a bit,” Pei Min informed Yan Gaoqing.

Yan Gaoqing knew Pei Min was investigating the previous night’s affair and, aware of his remarkable abilities, merely cautioned, “Take care in all things.”

Pei Min did not seek out Xue Ne. As the Grand Protector of Youzhou, Xue Ne held a vital post; it would be excessive to trouble him with such a minor matter. Pei Min first went to the Jicheng Prefectural Office. By now, nearly everyone in Jicheng knew that Pei Min had helped Xue Ne capture Li Wuyi and was on close terms with him. Though Pei Min held no official post, the prefect himself received him.

Pei Min stated his purpose plainly: he wanted to know if such incidents happened only at the Yuan residence or were more widespread. If the latter, it was merely a coincidence and he was overthinking it; if only Yuan’s house was targeted, there was surely a motive.

The prefect, Zhang Chao, was a plump middle-aged man, his broad face and big ears giving him the look of a corrupt official at first glance, though in truth he governed well and had done much for the people.

“Master Pei, I haven’t heard of such a thing,” Zhang Chao replied. “Let me summon the county constable, he’s responsible for city security and may know more.” As he sent for the constable, he also ordered a cup of yogurt for Pei Min.

Pei Min held the yogurt, inhaling its peculiar dairy aroma, and felt a pang of nostalgia for the tea of later ages. He had grown accustomed to tea in the future, only to discover in the Tang dynasty that the tea-drinking scenes so often shown on television were pure fiction. In his current era, tea was far less common than milk, especially in northern Youzhou, where dairy was the staple drink and tea leaves scarcely available on the market—rare and extremely expensive when they did appear.

He had researched and learned that only the aristocrats of Jiangnan and Sichuan had adopted the custom of tea-drinking, which they called “appreciating tea.” Elsewhere, the habit had yet to spread. Previously, tea was considered a medicinal herb; to drink it daily marked one as an invalid.

Therefore, since arriving in this era, Pei Min had not yet tasted Tang dynasty tea.

Not fond of sweets, he drank two sips of the yogurt out of courtesy and set it aside, waiting a while until the county constable arrived in haste.

“Constable Wu, this is Master Pei,” Zhang Chao introduced. “He wishes to inquire about something.”

Constable Wu Xuan, brisk and energetic, was clearly a man of action. After saluting Zhang Chao, he spoke before Pei Min could open his mouth, “Master Pei, you’re here about the Gongsun sisters staying at the Three Heroes Inn, aren’t you? If you hadn’t come today, I was about to seek you out myself.”

Pei Min, caught off guard by the interruption, hesitated. “Constable, what do you mean? I do know the Gongsun sisters—has something happened to them?” He thought of the gentle Gongsun You and the lively Gongsun Xi, worried for them alone in a strange city.

Wu Xuan was surprised. “You’re not here about them? Then what brings you?”

Pei Min recounted the events of the previous night. Wu Xuan nodded. “I see. So far, there have been no similar reports. I’ll ask the night patrol responsible for the Yuan residence area to investigate and report back with any news.”

Pei Min thanked him and then inquired about the Gongsun sisters.

Wu Xuan frowned. “They seem to have disappeared. According to the innkeeper’s report, the Gongsun sisters vanished from his establishment, and their baggage is gone as well…”