Light and Shadow

Chapter 9 - A Moonlit Discovery

As the sun retreated behind the horizon, darkness descended upon the land. The light of a few stars and the full moon served as an ample source of light, illuminating the ground below them with such intensity that it rivaled the brightness of day. Xun Yu washed the teacup that he drank from and the teapot that he used to brew the tea before carefully putting away the dishes in one of the three cabinets beneath the counter. He decided that he would clean the water out of the bucket that he typically used to wash his dishes once he settled the matter that he needed to take care of.

He entered his room and changed from his formal work attire into his casual attire. It was a black paofu with a dark gray undershirt and pants. He carefully removed and placed his gaoshan guan on the nightstand like table next to his bed and fixed his hair into a more casual style. After checking twice to make sure that he was inconspicuous, he made his way to the Xu night market. He figured that night would be the time when suspicious and shady individuals would be more likely to emerge from their dens.

As he walked to his destination, Xun Yu carefully planned out how he was going to handle the situation. He could not afford to risk being discovered by the spies, who were attempting to keep him under surveillance, or the guards, who would recognize him and offer to help him, hindering his ability to search for clues or any figures of importance. As he drew closer to his destination, he saw six merchant stalls, all of which were lit by a single lantern sitting on the left and right corners of the stalls.

At least twenty people appeared to be browsing the stalls. Many of which appeared to be local residents, with a few aristocratic figures sprinkled in the crowd; however, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. All was calm as the market bustled with the quiet murmur of nighttime conversation between residents and merchants alike. Xun Yu pretended to browse the stalls and even engaged in polite conversation with one of the merchants while he continued to scope out the market for any unusual activity.

A few minutes later, he glanced to his right and noticed a rather strange man walking up and down the walkway in front of the teahouse, restaurant, bookstore, artisan, and general store. The man repeated this pattern three times, less than five meters away from where Xun Yu was currently standing next to a merchant's stall. He was wearing a black paofu with a black undershirt and pants, he also had a black scarf loosely wrapped around his mouth and nose, and the front of his hair was loosely done up in a bun on the crown of his head, while his bangs and the rest of his hair flowed in a silky straight manner down to the middle of his back.

The man's eyes darted around the crowd, as if he was looking for someone, before he retreated down the walkway in front of the stores. Xun Yu cautiously followed the man as he swiftly walked down the path, weaving in and out of the crowd of people. As the man stopped and turned to see if anyone was following him, Xun Yu quickly hid behind the corner of the artisan store. He then slowly peaked out to watch the man turn and resume his advance.

Xun Yu followed a little less than a few meters behind him. The chilly night air pricked his skin and chilled him, causing him to shiver, but he knew that this matter was more important than seeking the warmth of a fire or his warm blanket back at home. He followed the man into the thick woods several meters away from the palace. Fortunately, the leaves that were decaying due to autumn's approach were damp from a rainstorm that occurred two days ago, and he was able to follow behind the man closely without making a sound.

After walking for several minutes, they came across an odd erect mound of dirt. In the center of the sphere-shaped mound was a large iron door that stood at least two meters tall, towering above both of them. The iron door was decorated with raised, circular spheres and an iron handle that dangled on the right-middle side of it in the shape of a circle. Xun Yu watched from a distance behind a thick tree as the man approached the door.