So this is a den of thieves.

Chen Yage was pushed into the cave by Li Bai—or rather, into an icy pool. She immediately swallowed a bellyful of water, but fortunately she knew how to swim; otherwise, she would have sunk to the bottom as a corpse. When she surfaced, she was surrounded by utter darkness, unable to see her own hand in front of her face. She desperately tried to swim back, unwilling to leave Li Bai behind. But the current was too swift; her struggles not only failed to bring her back but instead quickened her drift. Very soon, she could no longer withstand the force and was swept away, thinking she was doomed for certain—only to realize she had merely fallen from one cold pool into another.

Since childhood, Chen Yage had suffered from acrophobia, but this time she couldn’t even scream; her voice was stuck in her throat. Plunging from a waterfall into the icy pool below, she had experienced a terrifying free fall. Dizzy and disoriented, the impact of the water rendered her unconscious.

When she awoke, she found her hands bound together. Her struggles only increased the pain, so she had no choice but to give up. She didn’t know how much time had passed before she finally heard footsteps. Forcing herself upright, she saw before her a soldier clad in armor, holding a water flask. The moment he saw her awake, he was startled and shouted, “She’s awake! She’s awake—”

“Where am I?” Chen Yage’s voice was hoarse as she gazed blankly at the soldier.

Before he could reply, a man dressed in elegant purple robes entered. His cheekbones were slightly prominent, his eyes bright, his hair bound up with a white jade crown, a jade pendant at his waist, and a folding fan in hand. He moved with poise and grace, followed by several armored soldiers.

The man in purple approached Chen Yage, scrutinizing her closely before straightening up and gently waving his fan. “Why were you in the cold pool?”

The cold pool? Chen Yage edged away, warily eyeing the man. “Who are you? And where is this place?”

“Insolent girl! How dare you address our master so rudely—do you have a death wish?” a guard at his side snapped, drawing his blade.

“Stand down!” the man in purple barked, his tone sharp. The guard lowered his head and retreated. The man continued, “My name is Xu Jin, son of Xu Yushi. Young lady, it is time you answer my question.”

Seeing Xu Jin’s scholarly demeanor and courtesy, Chen Yage restrained her temper, though she was still wary, unsure of his intentions.

Xu Jin spoke again: “Judging by your appearance, you do not seem to be from Xiangyang. How did you come to be in the cold pool?”

Chen Yage was momentarily speechless. She glanced at Xu Jin but didn’t reply. The guard at his side suggested, “Master, why not take her back for strict interrogation? She’ll talk then!”

Xu Jin neither agreed nor disagreed, merely waving his folding fan as he awaited her response. After careful thought, Chen Yage spoke in a low voice, “What is it you want me to confess?”

“Why were you in the cold pool? Are you one of their group? And how can we find their hideout?”

“Their group?” Chen Yage was utterly baffled. “What are you talking about?”

Xu Jin’s interest was piqued. He fanned himself and asked, “You’re not with the Zhang family, then?”

Chen Yage shook her head, not quite understanding Xu Jin’s words. He studied her for a moment, then said, “You don’t look like a bandit.”

“What? A bandit!” Chen Yage’s mouth dropped open in shock. They thought she was a bandit? She sprang to her feet, but seeing she was outnumbered, she lowered her voice, “I am an honest citizen, not a bandit!”

Xu Jin chuckled, “Very well, then tell me—why were you here?”

Chen Yage’s mind was still on Li Bai and she did not wish to argue. “Is this your home? Why can’t I be here? Let me go, I need to save Brother Bai!”

“The Brother Bai you speak of—was he captured by a group, led by a young man with a sister who loves to wear red?”

Could he mean Ziye? And the girl in red must be Ziyu. Chen Yage nodded silently.

“Do you know their hideout?” Xu Jin pressed.

Chen Yage nodded, then shook her head.

“Do you know who they are?” Xu Jin lifted her chin with his fan. “They are bandits sought by the imperial court. Last month, they robbed silver destined for disaster relief in the southwest. I am here under orders to eliminate them, but they always vanish around the cold pool. If you lead us to their den, you’ll have performed a great service, and you may ask for any reward you wish!”

Xu Jin’s words filled Chen Yage with hope, yet she could hardly believe Ziye was a bandit leader, or that the peaceful Peach Blossom Valley was a thieves’ lair. Did that mean all those villagers were bandits too? It was hard to accept. Still, for Li Bai’s sake, she had no choice. She raised her little face and said, “I want no reward, only that you rescue my Brother Bai!”

“Agreed,” Xu Jin promised, snapping his fan shut. He ordered the guards, “Release her.”

The guards obeyed and untied her hands. Chen Yage stretched her limbs and said urgently, “Let’s set out at once!” She could not bear any more delay, not knowing what fate had befallen Li Bai.

“No,” Xu Jin refused flatly. “First, you must tell me everything about Peach Blossom Valley. We need to plan carefully to wipe out the entire bandit nest.”

“Wipe them out? What about Dujuan? She owes me a debt of kindness—I can’t repay her with betrayal!” Chen Yage worried silently. She cast a furtive glance at Xu Jin and asked cautiously, “If they are caught, will they be executed?”

“Of course. They are ruthless criminals, having robbed the court’s silver many times and defied imperial authority. Execution is inevitable.”

“But they aren’t as wicked as you say, and there are so many of them—will you really kill them all?” Chen Yage protested.

“My father will decide their fate. My duty is only to capture them,” Xu Jin replied.

“Can you promise me one thing?” Chen Yage no longer wished to argue. She composed herself, determined not to be ungrateful.

“Speak,” said Xu Jin.

“Spare the people of Peach Blossom Valley. They are not as bad as you claim. If you promise me this, I’ll lead you there,” Chen Yage said. She had promised Dujuan never to reveal anything about the valley to outsiders, but for Li Bai’s sake, she could not keep her word.