THE LEAVES HAD LONG SINCE FALLEN, leaving behind bare branches that revealed glimpses of roofs, their tiles like the scales on a fish’s back. Xiahou Lian, who was used to moving around at great heights, swung from eaves and leapt across rooftops. Passersby occasionally spotted his monkey-like figure and shouted at him to come down, but when they did, Xiahou Lian had already disappeared among the rooftops and walls.
Tired from climbing, Xiahou Lian perched in an old locust tree and pulled some pastries from his pocket, ready for a break.
The tree’s throng of naked branches stretched over a small courtyard. Inside sat a small house, its doors and windows tightly shut. It appeared uninhabited.
Just as Xiahou Lian was about to bite into his pastry, the courtyard’s wooden gate creaked open. A man clad in a short-sleeved, pleated black garment cut through the shadows cast by the branches, then paused in the middle of the yard. Xiahou Lian could only see the back of his shirt, which was embroidered with a ferocious flying fish, its fangs bared and its eyes like copper bells.
An Eastern Depot agent?
The man looked around, then spoke to the air: “The eunuch has ordered the execution of Xie Bingfeng. Once his head is delivered, three hundred taels of gold will be paid in full.”
The name “Xie Bingfeng” struck Xiahou Lian like a thunderclap. He nearly choked on his pastry but quickly covered his mouth and forced it down.
From beneath the eaves appeared another figure in black robes. Xiahou Lian heard a strange, raspy voice, like the hiss of a snake or the screech of a saw against metal: “The rule of Qiye Garden is that good karma must come before a reward.”
The Garden! Xiahou Lian was stunned.
“Three hundred taels is no small sum. How can the eunuch be sure you’ll succeed?”
“A Qiye Garden assassin is an Asura, a butcher’s knife in the Buddha’s hand. Who can escape when a demon comes for their life? Even if you don’t believe in gods or Buddhas, you must believe in demons.”
“We’ll pay a hundred taels up front and the remainder after the deed is done.”
“Do you haggle like this when you pray at a temple?”
The agent sneered. “Do you really think you’re a Buddha? The eunuch is doing you a favor by hiring you. You’re already under observation by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If the Eastern Depot steps in, I doubt you’ll be able to keep living such a carefree existence.”
The black-robed man made a calming gesture and said, “I never claimed to be a Buddha. The only Buddha in Qiye Garden is our abbot, known as the Shixin Buddha. We are all demons under his command.” He smirked mockingly. “We both know who it is the Embroidered Uniform Guard have captured. The Eastern Depot is no match for them.”
The agent’s expression darkened, and he snorted. “Fine. Call your Buddha out to speak with me.”
The man in black shook his head and smiled. “The abbot sits high above worldly matters. How could he dirty his hands with such trivialities? My time is limited. I’ll count to three. If we don’t have a deal by then, I’ll leave.” The man in black didn’t wait for the agent to respond as his lips began counting.
“One.”
The agent’s mouth tightened, his expression hateful.
“Two,” the man in black said leisurely.
The agent twitched the hand on his sword’s hilt, as if he were about to speak.
“Three.” The man in black sighed. “What a pity.”
“Wait,” the agent said. “Tomorrow at noon, come to the eastern city gate. The three hundred taels of gold will be placed in a coffin leaving the city.”
The man in black smiled. “Qiye Garden has heard your wish.”
The moment he finished speaking, a strong gust of wind blew past, pushing the pastry right out of Xiahou Lian’s hand. Crumbs scattered everywhere, pelting the agent’s face and hair. Panicked, Xiahou Lian tried to climb higher, but the agent shouted and fired a clawed weapon in his direction.
There wasn’t time to dodge. The claw sank into Xiahou Lian’s left shoulder, tearing into his flesh. Blood gushed forth as pain exploded through him. The agent yanked the rope tethered to the claw, and Xiahou Lian was pulled right out of the tree. He tumbled to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
He turned to see the man in black standing calmly under the eaves. A hood concealed his face, exposing only a pale chin. He made no move to help.
Fear gripped Xiahou Lian’s heart, frost seemingly creeping up his spine. There was only one thought in his mind: Run.
In that moment, he understood what being an assassin truly meant. It wasn’t about swift kills or hunting down targets—it was about living in death’s constant shadow.
He struggled to his feet but couldn’t break free from the claw. The agent drew his sword and advanced toward Xiahou Lian. The boy raised his right hand, gritting his teeth, and a hidden dart shot from his sleeve.
Suddenly, a thin, shimmering blade as delicate as a cicada’s wing sliced through the air. It cut the dart in half and flew straight toward Xiahou Lian’s chest.
The blade pierced his skin, cold metal sinking into his flesh. Warm blood spurted forth, yet the blade plunged no deeper—instead, it retracted into its hilt.
Xiahou Lian took the hint and collapsed to the ground, clutching the hilt of the blade. He bit his tongue, spat out some blood, and then lay still, playing dead masterfully.
“My apologies for the disturbance. That was one of Qiye Garden’s little demons. He probably came to steal some pastries and accidentally stumbled upon our transaction,” the man in black said with a polite smile. “But rules are rules. I’ve dealt with him. I hope Your Excellency is satisfied.”
“The Garden’s discipline is truly remarkable. You’d strike down even one of your own, and a child at that. Of course I’m satisfied—very much so,” the agent said with a mirthless smile. He glanced at the pastry crumbs scattered on the ground. It was true that no ordinary thief would eat while eavesdropping. Still, the current matter was grave, so he thought for a moment, then said, “Given what’s happened, let’s call off the deal. You needn’t come tomorrow.”
The man in black nodded. Then the agent left. Xiahou Lian waited a while to make sure he was really gone before standing up.
The man in black pulled back his hood, revealing Qiu Ye’s fair and delicate face. He looked at Xiahou Lian worriedly. “What am I going to do with you, you troublesome child?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose...” said Xiahou Lian feebly.
Qiu Ye carried Xiahou Lian into the house and bandaged his wounds. “What happened today stays between you and me,” he warned. “Don’t let anyone else know. You ruined an important deal and lost Qiye Garden three hundred taels of gold. The abbot planned to use that money to renovate the temple and improve the lives of everyone there. If he finds out, he’ll have you tied up and hauled back to the mountain for a whipping.”
When Qiu Ye mentioned the deal, Xiahou Lian struggled to sit up and asked, “Qiu-dage, are you going to kill Xie Bingfeng?”
Qiu Ye glanced at Xiahou Lian. It was not his typical gentle look; his expression carried an unyielding harshness that made Xiahou Lian swallow the rest of his words.
“Xiao-Lian, you may look irresponsible, but I thought you still had some sense. Even someone as willful and impudent as your mother respects the Garden rules. Remember: Ask no questions and kill without restraint.”
Xiahou Lian lowered his head. “Understood...”
Still wrapping a bandage around him, Qiu Ye changed the subject. “My Qiushui is a family heirloom. If you become my disciple, I’ll pass Qiushui on to you. Think about it.”
Xiahou Lian didn’t reply.