Not until everyone had left, leaving only Mei Qing and Hou Shen in the room, did Hou Shen still wear an expression of disbelief.
“Master, I believe every inconsistency you mentioned. But in that situation back then, you still managed to notice all those details. It’s really hard for me to imagine—aside from what you’ve already said, there wasn’t anything else, right?” Hou Shen asked, scratching his head.
“Just a matter of sharp eyesight… anything else?” Mei Qing replied solemnly.
“Really nothing else?” Hou Shen still sounded doubtful.
“Well, actually there was one more thing—ah, but it’s not a big deal. The teapot you were holding wasn’t the same as Old Zhao’s; it was clearly a newly made imitation. Think about it—if someone had been holding a teapot in front of you in the morning, and then a while later brought over another one that looked almost identical, even if it looked the same, you’d know something was off, right?” Mei Qing said with a smile.
Mei Qing’s ability to uncover Hou Shen’s disguise this time could not be said to be anything but fortunate.
If he hadn’t been prepared beforehand, and hadn’t happened to catch the discrepancy with the teapot, identifying the real Zhao Dayou from the fake would truly have been no easy feat.
“But I just don’t understand—given your abilities, stealing Zhao Dayou’s teapot should have been simple enough. Why did you go to the trouble of making a fake one?” Mei Qing asked.
Hou Shen smiled bitterly. “There are two reasons for that. First, I do have some minor reputation to uphold, so I can’t act like a common street thief, grabbing things left and right. Stealing the inkstone was because someone commissioned me. It was an accepted job, so it was a legitimate move. But to steal someone’s old teapot would be beneath me. Second, I never expected you to notice the difference between the two teapots at a single glance. Honestly speaking, my eyesight isn’t bad either. After my friend made this teapot, I examined it repeatedly and found no flaws. I really don’t know how you managed to tell the difference. That really was sharp eyesight.”
Mei Qing chuckled. “Well, you’re wrong there. Although that teapot might not be priceless, it is indeed a genuine top-grade Yixing purple clay teapot, a masterpiece by a famous artisan from an earlier generation. It’s truly amazing how someone like him managed to acquire such a treasure. Unfortunately, even the finest teapot needs proper care and maintenance. In his hands, it’s truly a waste. Besides, you didn’t prepare thoroughly enough. If you had investigated what I used to do, you wouldn’t be surprised that I could tell the difference between the real and the fake.”
“Oh? So that unremarkable old teapot was actually a treasure?” Hou Shen’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Ah, such a case of a pearl cast before swine… By the way, Master, what exactly did you do before? How could you tell the difference between real and fake at a glance? Could it be that you—”
Hou Shen leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “I know our Jinyiwei often engages in ambushes, kidnappings, robberies, framing people, and underhanded tricks. Have we recently started counterfeiting and selling fake goods too?”
“Master, since Hou Shen has already decided to follow you loyally, there’s no need for further words. However, I still have some matters to settle within my sect. May I humbly request permission to return briefly to handle them, after which I shall immediately return to await your orders?”
After hearing Hou Shen’s words, Mei Qing hesitated slightly before replying, “Hou Shen, I understand you are the successor of Master Tie, and I wouldn’t dream of prying into matters of your sect. However, there is one matter I’d like to discuss with you.”
Hou Shen lowered his head. “If you are asking about the person who commissioned me to steal the inkstone, please forgive me, Master. I cannot reveal their identity. There is a code of honor even among thieves, and this matter concerns not only my reputation but also the honor of my master’s school. I beg your understanding.”
Mei Qing sighed inwardly. He had anticipated this difficulty even if he managed to win Hou Shen over. Fortunately, he had prepared thoroughly; otherwise, this would have been another source of worry.
“Hou Shen, don’t talk like that. I have no intention of blaming you for this matter, let alone forcing you to violate your sect’s rules. I have other plans. Take a look,” Mei Qing said, retrieving an object from beside him and placing it on the table.
It was a dark brown inkstone case. Mei Qing opened it, revealing a purple inkstone with a bluish sheen. When flipped over, on its underside were seven natural stone eyes arranged like the Big Dipper constellation, lifelike and exquisite.
“This is the… Big Dipper Inkstone?” Hou Shen immediately recognized it.
“Exactly,” Mei Qing smiled. “Since you were commissioned to steal this inkstone, take it back and deliver it to your client. You will have completed your task without revealing anything you shouldn’t have. I imagine that wouldn’t violate any rules, would it?”
Hou Shen’s lips moved a few times, hesitating. “I understand your meaning, Master. But… sigh, I might as well be honest—my client is somewhat strange. He’s probably a cultivator. If you plan to follow him, it might prove difficult.”
Mei Qing smiled. Hou Shen’s warning had already gone beyond the limits of his sect’s rules. He patted Hou Shen’s shoulder and said, “I understand perfectly. Since I dared to come up with this plan, I naturally haven’t come unprepared. Besides, our Jinyiwei has its share of capable individuals. Surely we won’t be helpless in the face of a cultivator, will we?”
The bright moon hung high in the clear night sky, not a single cloud in sight. The night was still and windless, and far away, a dog barked occasionally.
In a small courtyard in the northwest corner of the capital, moonlight bathed the ground like flowing mercury.
Around a square table sat four people: Mei Qing, Zhao Dayou, Yao Dingguo, and Zhou Chang.
Mei Qing’s mind, however, kept returning to the scene he had planned for his meeting with Master Liu.
“Indeed, evil has its match,” Master Liu praised Mei Qing, a rare occurrence. “That thief kid met you, the wicked little rascal—he really had it coming. What’s your next move?”
Hearing Master Liu’s uniquely phrased compliment, Mei Qing pretended not to hear and replied, “Hou Shen mentioned that his sect has its own rules, so he couldn’t tell me who commissioned the theft. I’ve come up with a plan that might help uncover the person behind it.”
He briefly explained his idea to Master Liu.
Frowning, Master Liu said, “Your plan sounds plausible enough, but whoever dares to target this inkstone must be no ordinary person. I’m afraid you might end up losing more than you gain, even risking your life.”
Mei Qing chuckled. “That’s exactly why I came to you for backup. Our unit has many extraordinary individuals. If you’d just send a couple of them, no matter how formidable the enemy, we could capture them on the spot. I’m doing this for you, so you can’t possibly ignore it, can you?”
“You cheeky brat, you know how to flatter me now, huh?” Master Liu laughed, half-scolding. “Why didn’t you show this sweet tongue before? Let me tell you clearly—this inkstone matter is your own initiative, not within our unit’s official duties. I definitely won’t abuse my authority to assign personnel for this. You got yourself into this mess, so you’d better sort it out yourself.”
Mei Qing’s face fell. “How can you say it’s not the unit’s concern? Think about it—someone dared to steal from our doorstep, right from our warehouse. It’s a clear sign of disrespect, brazenly challenging your authority. If we don’t teach them a lesson, people will think our Jinyiwei unit is weak and easily pushed around. I couldn’t stand it, so I volunteered to help you deal with them. If you don’t support me now, you might as well just crush my poor heart completely!”
Master Liu burst into laughter. “You smooth-talking little rascal! I never realized you were doing all this for me, huh? Fine, fine, I’ll send someone. But whether they’ll be useful or not, that’s beyond my control. Are you satisfied now? Then get lost before I change my mind!”
Although Master Liu had promised to send help, no one had shown up yet. By this time, Mei Qing couldn’t help feeling a bit frustrated.
Behind this inkstone, there must be some hidden secret. Since someone had gone to such lengths to obtain it, it was likely connected to cultivators. Mei Qing knew his own limits—he might have cultivated quickly and formed a golden core, but he had absolutely no experience in actual combat. His only fighting techniques were the Five Elements Escape Method for fleeing and a half-baked Thunder Restriction Art. As for the others, Zhao Dayou was only useful for knowing the terrain and giving directions, while Yao and Zhou were skilled in martial arts but only in the mundane sense. If they encountered cultivators, they would almost certainly be at a disadvantage.
Therefore, Mei Qing hoped that tonight would pass peacefully. If a fight broke out, his greatest hope rested on the people Master Liu had promised to send. Yet they still hadn’t shown up, and the time Hou Shen had mentioned was drawing near. Mei Qing couldn’t help but feel increasingly frustrated.
“Chief Mei, don’t worry. There’s nothing in the capital that old Zhao can’t handle. Just say the word, and it’ll be done,” Zhao Dayou said, noticing Mei Qing’s distracted mood and trying to comfort him, while noisily sipping from his teapot.
Mei Qing smiled, but his gaze suddenly fixed on Zhao Dayou’s teapot, and he was startled.
Looking closely, he confirmed his suspicion. Mei Qing couldn’t help exclaiming, “Hou Shen!?”
“The monkey? Where?” Zhao Dayou looked around confusedly. “No one’s here. You know, today was truly eye-opening. That monkey might be despicable, but he sure can play human convincingly! That little thief actually dared to trick me! If he hadn’t come to apologize to old Zhao before leaving, I definitely wouldn’t have let it go!”
Mei Qing was astonished. Just now, he had clearly seen Zhao Dayou holding the same fake teapot Hou Shen had used to deceive them. That’s why he thought Zhao might be another disguise by Hou Shen. But now, observing Zhao’s behavior, which didn’t seem faked, and recalling that Hou Shen must have returned to his sect to report, it was impossible for him to still be here pretending to be Zhao. Suddenly, everything clicked in his mind.
No wonder that monkey’s eyes lit up when I mentioned the teapot was valuable—he must have already had his eyes on Old Zhao’s teapot back then. It’s true that wealth should not be flaunted, and thieves from within are the hardest to guard against. Taking in a subordinate like this, who knows whether it’s a blessing or a curse!
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