Chapter 353 - The Foshan Journey (Part 6)

Calm down! Stay calm! Liu San told himself. What's done is done—panicking won't help. Besides, they weren't some Ming commoners. So what if they killed an Embroidered Guard brat? If it came down to it, they could just kidnap her and use her as a sex slave back home.

With this thought, his mood settled considerably. He picked up the teapot and poured Huang Tianyu a cup, signaling him to calm down.

Huang Tianyu had been startled at first, but now doubts arose as well: A proper Embroidered Guard operative could easily extort local officials and wealthy households. Why would they stoop to such petty thievery? The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

"Liu San, something's fishy here," he said quietly.

"Mm." Liu San nodded. "Definitely fishy."

This child was only fifteen. A fifteen-year-old girl serving in the Embroidered Guard? This wasn't some period drama or wuxia novel with female constables or female squad leaders.

"Well? Cat got your tongue? Hurry up and untie me!" Qianqian demanded.

Liu San pondered for a moment, then stood and bowed to her.

"Please forgive us, Miss Qianqian! Since Miss Qianqian serves the court, we have misunderstood. We will escort Miss Qianqian to the county yamen with full honors tomorrow, and await your punishment—whether death or penalty, we shall accept it. Naturally, we hope Miss Qianqian will speak well of us before the Centurion."

"Never mind that—just let me go now. My father, the Centurion, is very busy!" A flicker of panic crossed the girl's face upon hearing mention of the yamen. Liu San became even more certain. He deliberately continued:

"No, no—we must escort the lady properly. We shall also prepare wine to help Miss Qianqian recover from her fright. At that time, we must ask Miss Qianqian to put in a good word with the Centurion..."

"I said no means no! Let me go already! The Centurion is very busy!" The girl was becoming impatient.

This confirmed it even further. Whatever connection this girl had to the Embroidered Guard, she feared them no less than they did.

Liu San felt somewhat indecisive. Originally, letting her go or handing her over would both be acceptable. But now he really needed to figure out her true identity—after all, the badge didn't look fake.

Could it have been stolen? Liu San shook his head. Why would anyone steal such a thing? Even if you wanted to impersonate someone important, it was far too dangerous.

With this in mind, Liu San spoke slowly, "Miss Qianqian, I can refrain from taking you to the yamen. Just answer a few of my questions."

"Bah! The audacity!" Qianqian's expression changed. "Who are you people to interrogate me?"

Liu San was about to speak when Huang Tianyu gestured toward Shucui—still kneeling to one side, staring blankly at their little drama. With her present, it wasn't convenient to talk.

He called Gao Di over and instructed him to take Shucui out. Hold her for now in his own room—don't release her.

Huang Tianyu closed the door securely before Liu San said:

"No interrogation—I just want to know your background."

"Hmph, you think you're worthy of knowing who I am?"

"If you don't tell us, I'm afraid you'll have to explain it at the yamen." Liu San said, "Of course, you can show them this badge—if you dare."

Qianqian's face turned scarlet. "What wouldn't I dare! It's a genuine badge! I got it from my Uncle Li—" She realized she'd said too much and swallowed the rest.

Though she hadn't finished, Liu San and Huang Tianyu understood. This little girl probably had relatives or friends working in the Embroidered Guard. The badge had likely been obtained from them somehow and couldn't really be exposed. No wonder she didn't dare go to the authorities. Flashing the badge would immediately alert local Embroidered Guard personnel to a colleague's presence—and the game would be up.

"Qianqian, just tell us properly—how did you come by this badge? You look like a child from a decent family. Why resort to thievery?" Liu San assumed a kindly, benevolent expression. "If there's really some difficulty, uncle here can help if he's able."

Qianqian's eyes darted about. Under Liu San's alternating threats and enticements, she finally relented and confessed everything.

It turned out this girl's name was Li Yongxun, daughter of a Minor Flag under the Nanjing Yingtianfu Embroidered Guard Centurion. As for why she'd appeared here, so far from Nanjing: it was an old, tired story—her father was forcing her to marry, so in a fit of anger she'd run away from home.

"...I really didn't want to steal things, but I ran out of money, and even my bracelet was stolen," the girl said, then actually started sobbing. Huang Tianyu's heart softened at this.

"Old Liu, I don't think it's anything serious. The child made a momentary mistake..."

"Uncle, please just let me go—boo hoo hoo..."

So she was a runaway. Liu San thought this was trickier. Whether what she said was true or false, she definitely had some connection to the Embroidered Guard—so handing her to the authorities was out. That would bring the Embroidered Guard down on them. But letting her go... This girl might still have tricks up her sleeve. Though her methods seemed inexperienced, those shifty eyes suggested a mind full of schemes. Who knew what mischief she might cause if they just released her?

"I think we should just take her with us," Huang Tianyu suggested.

"No good. This girl's father is surely searching for her everywhere. Traveling with a young girl would attract attention and bring trouble right to our doorstep." Liu San rejected the idea. "Better to let her go."

"Qianqian, since this is your first offense, you may leave at dawn," Liu San said. "In the future, don't engage in such petty thievery anymore—you're disgracing your family."

"Thank you, uncle." Li Yongxun now wore the expression of an innocent, repentant young girl. "But uncle, I have nowhere to go now..."

Liu San thought: This is bad—this girl is latching onto us. "You should go home."

"I won't! Father wants me to marry some pretty boy! Besides, it's thousands of li from here to Nanjing—uncle, you'd really feel comfortable letting little Qianqian travel alone?"

Sweat! Liu San and Huang Tianyu exchanged looks. We're not that close! Whether you marry a pretty boy or an ugly brute has nothing to do with us—we're not here to liberate women.

"Then the lady can suit herself," Huang Tianyu said, realizing this girl was trouble.

"Where is uncle going?" Li Yongxun asked slyly.

"Into the city tomorrow on business."

"Liar! Uncle is clearly going to Foshan!"

Huang Tianyu groaned inwardly. She'd apparently gotten their itinerary completely figured out already—though that wasn't difficult. A quick inquiry at the counter would reveal everything.

"Since uncle is going to Foshan, can't you take Qianqian along?"

Both men were taken aback. Was she crazy or lovesick? What kind of young girl tags along with strange men on a long journey?

Huang Tianyu coughed. "Look, we're all men here, with no womenfolk. Taking a young girl traveling would be inconvenient."

"You're all obviously merchants!" Li Yongxun said. "What's improper about traveling with a little maidservant?"

"It's not improper—it's inconvenient!" Huang Tianyu was getting annoyed. "Aren't you afraid we'll tie you up in some wilderness and sell you to a brothel?"

"Hmph hmph, you think I haven't been to one? Scared the madam and the pimps senseless." Li Yongxun seemed quite proud of her talisman. "You wouldn't dare—unless you think the Embroidered Guard are all good-for-nothings."

The Embroidered Guard really were good-for-nothings—Huang Tianyu grumbled internally. No matter how fearsome a secret police organization, didn't they all get wiped out by Li Zicheng and Hong Taiji alike? But saying that aloud wouldn't be wise.

"...Besides, I think you uncles are all good people."

Receiving a "good person card" out of nowhere was rather depressing. Most depressed was Huang Tianyu—he'd played the "good man" role to the letter.

After talking round and round, they simply couldn't convince this girl. Finally Liu San gave up. "Why do you want to go to Foshan anyway? We're going there on business, not sightseeing!"

"I have a sworn sister who married someone in Foshan. I want to go to her home. Just consider it doing a good deed—escort me part of the way, won't you?"

Liu San had thought of just tying her up securely, booking a room, and having the inn feed her well for a few days before releasing her. But upon reflection, this would cause Qiwei considerable trouble. Qiwei was, after all, a Guangzhou Station property—it was already a big target. Attracting Embroidered Guard attention would be even worse.

Since she insisted on coming, they might as well bring her along. Once in Foshan—whether or not she truly had a sworn sister there—at least they could deal with her however necessary without implicating the Guangzhou Station. Guangzhou to Foshan was quite close. The inn staff said it was only a two-day journey by inland boat through densely populated areas. Nothing major could go wrong.

Thinking this through, he nodded. "Alright, we'll take you to Foshan. But first you must write a document stating you've voluntarily asked us to escort you there, and that once we arrive, we go our separate ways."

"Fine." Li Yongxun promptly wrote out the document. Liu San took it, blew it dry, and tucked it away.

"It's already the third watch. Getting late—" Liu San thought they'd need to arrange a room for her.

Huang Tianyu said, "Let Miss Li sleep in my room. I'll come sleep in yours."

"That works." Liu San nodded in agreement.

"I have a bundle at Shucui's place," Li Yongxun announced. "Please release Shucui so she can fetch it for me."

"Very well." They instructed Gao Di to release Shucui and retrieve Li Yongxun's bundle. Chen Tong was sent to check on Shopkeeper Yang's room to make sure he hadn't been disturbed.

Early the next morning at dawn, Liu San and Huang Tianyu rose to wash up, then went to Li Yongxun's room first. The girl had already changed into neat, simple clothes—a blue cotton outfit that made her look like an ordinary little maidservant. She carried a bundle on her back, plus a long cloth-wrapped bundle tied together with an umbrella.

Huang Tianyu asked, "What's in there?"

"An Embroidered Spring Saber," Li Yongxun said with some pride. "Standard issue for our Guard."

"Also stolen from your Uncle Li, I suppose?"

"No way! My father had someone make it specially for me!"