With the rise of bandits and outlaws, the armed-escort business was flourishing along with the thief-catching business. Too many undisciplined warriors about with no wars to fight.
The scroll contained additional information. The names of the sender and the recipient. Both go-betweens.
‘I suspect the final recipient was likely Wang Shizhen,’ Zhao said.
Han concurred. The general certainly had a great interest in recovering the stolen goods. The person who had enlisted Zhao’s services was a man by the name of Cai Yun. Why would an individual from another prefecture send so much wealth to General Wang?
There was definitely something more than a simple theft at work here and somehow Li Feng was entangled in it. He sincerely wished that she wasn’t. Han had come across some of the worst outlaws and Li Feng didn’t belong among them. Despite her talk of rebellion, she was motivated by honour and self-sacrifice. Why else would she give up her own silver to assist others? Or reach out to rescue a thief-catcher who would turn around and make life difficult for her?
‘Do you know anything more about this Cai Yun?’ Han asked.
‘He paid in advance and appeared well off. He’s petitioning for us to forfeit our fee as well as incur an additional dishonour penalty for failure to deliver.’
Zhao cursed a little. Han gave his sympathies.
‘It’s unusual to see a thief-catcher so dedicated,’ Zhao said. ‘They say you’ve never let a criminal get away.’
That was a new addition to his ever-growing story. ‘I do what I can,’ he replied humbly.
‘Hmmph. Find these thieves and I’ll add to your capture money. The penalty on such a shipment would bleed us dry.’
Han left the headquarters with the name of the man who had hired the security escort, but few answers otherwise. Li Feng was more than capable of the feat Zhao had described. He’d seen her leaping on to rooftops and if she could deftly slip out of locked buildings, she could just as easily sneak into them. That information by itself wasn’t enough to condemn her.
There was only one piece of evidence that connected her to the crime—though it appeared she had been telling the truth about it. The four celestial animals were a popular motif in artwork: the Green Dragon, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise. The final animal in the quartet was the Vermilion Bird. It looked very much like a phoenix.
Chapter Five
The lanterns of the Pavilion of the Singing Nightingale were always lit, night or day. The doors were always open and no matter when a visitor walked through, they were always greeted by the most elegantly dressed and graceful of ladies. The Singing Nightingale was located in a busy river port located along the Min and served as a crossroads for merchants and travelling officials.
The journey from Taining had taken a week, during which he pondered the possibilities. The thieves could have masqueraded as a dance troupe to get close to the warehouse without raising suspicion. Li Feng was certainly connected to the shipment in some way, but her pendant wasn’t stolen. Han was all the more determined to pursue her just to unravel the mystery she presented.
Finally, the shipment itself was suspicious. It certainly appeared to be a bribe or payment, but for what? Hopefully his contacts in town would be able to provide more insight. Han was nearly out of leads.
According to Zhao, the head of the security escort, the jade shipment had been transported by riverboat from its origin and had changed hands at this port from the mysterious Cai Yun over to the armed guards. Fortunately, Han was familiar with the area and immediately identified the Singing Nightingale as the sort of establishment a wealthy man would visit while in town. It was a brothel with aspirations and attempted to recreate the atmosphere of refinement found in the pleasure houses of the larger cities.
Han had the honour of being greeted by the lovely and talented Lotus. In age, she was perhaps just past the height of spring, but not yet in her autumn years. She would never admit to a number in regard to her age and Han had politely never asked.
Lotus still remained one of the leading beauties of the pavilion and served as hostess for the wealthiest and most distinguished of patrons. In Han’s case, neither applied. Lotus liked hearing dramatic tales of adventures and villains and heroes. Han always thought she enjoyed his company for that reason—though Lotus had made a lifelong profession out of convincing men she sincerely enjoyed their company.
‘Zheng Hao Han.’ Her fine silk robe brushed against him as she took his arm. A light cloud of perfume encircled him. She was all that was soft and feminine and elegant as she led him into a sitting area. ‘It’s been so long, I was certain you had forgotten about me.’
Her tone was mildly reproachful, but it was all part of the game. He apologised and professed that he could never forget her while the attendants brought wine and small dishes of boiled peanuts, scallion cakes and other refreshments.
‘What can you tell me about a man named Cai Yun? I already know he’s been here,’ he prompted as he detected the slight flicker in her expression as she considered his request.
Lotus pursed her lips prettily. ‘Will you say nice things about me?’ she bargained.
‘Of course.’
‘A man by that name has visited on occasion. Well dressed, well mannered. He seems to have money, but doesn’t brag too much about it.’ The courtesan paused and shot him a sly look. ‘Very nice things?’ she insisted.
Newfound fame had its benefits. ‘You’ll be notorious.’
She leaned in close, most likely so he could be ensnared by the sight of her graceful neck and the low cut of her bodice. ‘He seems to always be meeting with rather important-looking men. Merchants and the local official of this or that.’
‘Is this Cai Yun an aristocrat of some sort?’ That would explain the wealth and Lotus had an instinct for pouncing on such patrons.
She shook her head. A pearl ornament in her hair danced as she did so. ‘He has no name that I know of,’ she said coyly. ‘But one of his guests last month was someone noteworthy.’
He gave her an equally coy look. ‘Who could that be?’
‘The agent overseeing the district branch of the Salt Commission.’
That bit of information sparked his thief-catcher instinct immediately. The Salt Commission controlled the buying and selling of salt throughout the empire, managing the prices and taxes on it through countless offices. Agents travelled into even the most remote locations of the empire to enforce the commission’s policies. The salt trade and its taxes were a significant source of revenue for the government, and consequently spawned an entire underworld of illegal activity. Han had apprehended his share of salt smugglers.
Lotus draped an arm casually around his neck. ‘Now tell me what evil deed he committed to warrant your attention.’
She was so close that she was nearly in his lap, all because she genuinely liked him, of course. Despite the flirtation, Han knew he was unlikely to be invited into Lotus’s bedchamber. She was very selective about her lovers, enjoying the attentions of notable scholars and officials. They were friendly enough, however, that he was able to take hold of her chin to direct her eyes to his. He wanted a clear view of her expression for his next enquiry.
‘When I first mentioned Cai Yun, you looked surprised. As if you’d encountered some coincidence.’
She tried to look innocent now. ‘What do you mean?’
A silhouette passed by the outside of the curtain that divided the sitting room from the main hall. He wasn’t able to discern much more than a shadow. Definitely not a face or distinct form. But the quality of the movement sparked something in him.
‘Who was that?’