Chapter 13: Another Trial

"Good!"
"Well said!"
With those words, the county hall was transformed into a teahouse, and the petty thief suddenly became a storyteller!
Even the handsome young man standing to the side could not help but tap his palm with his folding fan, calling out in praise.
A trace of pride appeared on the older man's face as he gently patted the younger one's hand in quiet reassurance. Scenes like this—he had seen them countless times. The words rolled off his tongue with practiced ease.
Seeing that the young man had let down his guard, the handsome youth suddenly grew serious and addressed the magistrate, "Sir, since they speak with such certainty, may I ask a few more questions?"
"Go ahead," the magistrate waved his hand, unconcerned. The case of the autumn begonia was as good as settled—ironclad evidence left no room for doubt. He was happy for a bit of leisure; why not indulge him?
"Thank you, sir!" The handsome youth turned to the younger man and asked, "Your name is Dongzi, isn't it? Where did you sleep last night?"
"The Mountain Spirit Temple." Dongzi answered without hesitation.
"What did you eat this morning?" The young man's words came out quickly.
"Steamed buns!" Dongzi blurted, then, glancing at the older man’s glare, hastily added, "Buns we found!"
"Where did you go?"
"Li’s Tailor Shop..."
"Whom did you meet?" The questions came faster.
"A girl!" The rapid-fire questioning left Dongzi no time to think.
"Why did you look for her?"
"To get money..."
"Why did you bump into me?" No time to react.
"You were in my way!" he answered righteously.
"What was I blocking you from?" The words came even faster.
"You were in my way of killing..." Dongzi blurted out.
A gasp swept through the crowd, and then the whole hall fell so silent a pin dropping could be heard.
"Heavens!"
"Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover!"
"They spoke so convincingly just now, I almost believed them myself!"
"Alas! The world is in decline, hearts are not what they once were!"
The magistrate was at a loss for words. What began as a simple theft had turned into a murder trial! What could be more absurd than this?

"You!" The older man was too late to stop him—by the time he realized it, Dongzi had already spoken. Grabbing Dongzi in frustration, he roared, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"I..." Dongzi realized he’d let something slip and stood dumbfounded.
"No, no, he's not right in the head—he doesn’t know what he’s saying!" The older man tried to cover up again, but it was in vain.
"Oh? Is that so?" The handsome youth smiled slyly. "Then how do you explain this dagger?"
With a crisp clang, a razor-sharp three-inch bronze dagger tumbled to the floor.
"Speak! Who were you planning to kill?"
"You!" Driven to the brink, Dongzi lost his composure. Without waiting for the older man to react, he lunged forward, snatching the dagger from the ground in one swift movement. Spinning skillfully, he thrust the dagger upward toward the youth’s throat.
Had he struck true, the youth would have died instantly!
But what a clever and composed youth he was!
He did not retreat but stepped sideways, just barely dodging the blade—the tips of his hair clipped clean by its edge. Amid the gasps of the crowd, his folding fan flicked open, the edge glancing lightly across Dongzi’s neck.
A thin line of blood seeped from the wound, growing thicker and darker, sticking to the skin...
"Brother!" A woman’s anguished cry rang out as Dongzi collapsed. The older man’s eyes reddened with rage; his hand went to his belt, unfastening a whip embedded with sharp blades, which he lashed at the youth.
"Stop fighting!" The magistrate, cowering behind his desk, shouted tremulously—not that anyone could tell whether he meant to stop the youth, or to save the elder from certain death.
Neither combatant paid him any heed. The youth called, "Come at me, then!" As he spoke, his folding fan spun in his hand with dazzling skill. In the clash of metal, the whip and its bladed fragments were scattered across the floor.
The bloodied edge of the youth’s fan now hovered at the elder’s throat; the slightest move would end his life.
"Speak! Who put you up to this? I know you’re no beggars, but assassins—the infamous Yin-Yang Fiends!"
"And who are you?" came a woman's trembling voice—her brother dead, she had no more reason to pretend.
"You may call me Zhang Huai."
"I’ve lost; but you haven’t won, either." With a bitter smile, the woman—disguised as an old man—let black blood trickle from her lips and slowly collapsed. She had taken poison.
This...this...?! The magistrate, thoroughly at a loss, stepped out from behind his desk. The turn of events had been too swift for him to intervene. He pointed at the youth, voice quavering, "You...you—you—who are you?!"
Though the young man seemed gentle and refined, he had, in the blink of an eye, claimed two lives. Such ruthlessness—could he be a notorious bandit?
"My surname is Zhang, given name Huai, courtesy name Zixian." He gently fanned himself, his blue-and-white robe making him appear even more elegant and composed—were it not for the blood on his fan, many maidens might have lost their hearts to him.
"Are you from the capital?"
"No."
"Have you earned any scholarly honors?"
"Not so."
"Are you, then, of imperial blood?"
"Wrong again."
"Then who are you?"
"A man of the martial world—merely a wanderer in white."

"Damn it! A mere commoner dares to wreak havoc in the county hall and take lives! Have you no respect for the law?" The magistrate was livid. "Speak! Who are your accomplices?"
"Accomplices? Aren’t you looking for her?"
"Who?"
"Yu Bing."
"What?" The magistrate felt his mind was spinning. "Didn’t she go missing?"
"Who told you I was missing?" A familiar female voice rang out at the door, and Yu Bing stepped forward, standing gracefully in the center of the hall.
"Yu Bing?" Of all present, none was more astonished than Su Liuyun. Upon seeing her, Su Liuyun’s face was a riot of emotions. Though surprised, she asked with concern, "Are you...are you all right?"
Afterward, she glanced around as if hoping to see another missing figure. Clearly, she was disappointed. With a final sliver of hope, she turned back to Yu Bing, "What about Xinru? Wasn’t she missing with you? Since you’re back, where is she? How is she?" Her anxiety was plain to see.
"How odd! Your own maid goes missing, yet you come asking me? Shouldn’t you know best yourself?" Yu Bing, unwilling to tolerate her posturing, replied coldly without a trace of politeness.
"I...I truly don’t know where she’s gone. If you know anything, please, I beg you, tell me!" She couldn’t understand why Yu Bing disliked her so, but Xinru’s fate was at stake. She couldn’t give up, and looked tearfully to the magistrate, hoping he would intervene.
"Miss Yu Bing, if you do know the maid’s whereabouts, please tell her," the magistrate said, unable to bear the sight of a beautiful woman weeping in his court. "Look at her—she’s about to cry from worry!"
"Oh, is that so?" Yu Bing raised her brow, amused by Su Liuyun’s performance. She countered, "Are you sure you want me to bring Xinru to you?" Her eyes bore into Su Liuyun’s, each word dropping like ice. "You know what it is I can bring to this court!"
"You—" Su Liuyun’s heart skipped a beat. Impossible! The hiding place was so well concealed, there was no way Yu Bing could have found it. She must be bluffing! Hmph, as if she could outwit me! Feeling relieved, she met Yu Bing’s gaze defiantly, "If I could see Xinru again, I’d gladly trade several years of my life."
"Miss Yu Bing, you see how sincere Miss Su is. Don’t make it hard for her. Summon Xinru, her maid, to court!" The magistrate tried to sound conciliatory, but his hand did not pause. He struck the wooden block and called out, "Summon Miss Su’s maid—Xinru—to court!"
...
A long while passed, and there was no sign of the summoned girl.
The magistrate looked at them in puzzlement.
"Apologies—her situation is special, she cannot come to court herself," Yu Bing said, stepping aside after clapping her hands, waiting quietly.
"Move aside, move aside! You up front, yes, you, please make room..." Amid the commotion at the gate, the crowd parted. Two men carried in an object covered in a white cloth and brought it to the center of the hall.
"Set it down here," Yu Bing instructed as they reached the center. She helped them place it. Zhang Huai came forward, handed the men some silver, and waved them off.
"What is this?" The magistrate frowned. He had summoned Xinru—what was this they had brought?
"Xinru’s corpse." At these words, the entire court erupted.
"You’re lying! How could Xinru be dead? I don’t believe it!" Now was the perfect chance to confirm the identity of the corpse, and as this thought struck her, tears streamed down Su Liuyun’s face. Pretending to stumble, she rushed toward the body.
Seeing her move, Zhang Huai, fearful she might harm Yu Bing, quickly pulled her aside.