Chapter 14: Autumn Dew White, Investigating a Major Case

Chapter 14: Autumn Dew White, Investigating a Major Case

Inside Qingyan Tower, a group of rich young idlers had just entered when they started demanding a private room.

Seeing familiar faces among the group, the waiter hurried off to fetch the manager. Together they came running over, all smiles: "Young masters, you didn't make a reservation today."

Qi Huairui's bushy eyebrows shot up as he demanded, "We come here to have fun, and we need a reservation?"

"Of course not, that's not what we meant."

"Then hurry up and arrange a private room!"

Every wrinkle on the manager's face was practically begging for forgiveness.

Ning Xishi was the one who noticed the manager's predicament and asked, "Today's not a day off or a holiday, and this place isn't cheap. How can every private room be full?"

The manager looked helpless and desperate to please: "I wouldn't dare lie to you gentlemen, would I? You're all my bread and butter. Even if I had to cook in the back myself, I'd make sure you were taken care of. But today, the private rooms are just all taken..."

Ning Xishi had a gut feeling something was off.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Just then, a scholar in slightly shabby clothes called out "Excuse me" at the entrance, and without even glancing at the group of idlers from Class C, said directly to the waiter, "We reserved the private room 'White Snow.' I'm late—hurry up and take me up."

The manager was still trying to explain when Ning Xishi cut in: "Hey, classmate! Take me with you—we've been classmates for years and never once shared a table. Running into each other here is fate, so why not eat together?"

That scholar had probably given Ning Xishi a dirty look that very morning, but Ning Xishi had always been quick to let things like that slide. Now, with a relaxed grin, he slung an arm around the guy's shoulders.

The other idlers were reluctant: "They're a bunch of broke... gathering. Why should we go? Second Young Master Ning."

"They've got a private room—we'll just squeeze in with them," Ning Xishi said with a grin, looking every bit the troublemaker.

A few still refused, thinking it was beneath them to share a room with those poor scholars, but several others, who really didn't want to call it a night and head home yet, eagerly followed Ning Xishi.

Seeing everyone else tagging along, the idlers who looked down on the poor scholars reluctantly shuffled their feet and decided to go too.

It was just borrowing a room, after all—no skin off their backs.

The scholar whose shoulder Ning Xishi had slung his arm over had never dealt with anything like this. Usually, they only dared to gossip behind people's backs or shoot dirty looks in public—they'd never been this close to these idlers before.

Only now did this scholar realize that these young men, who looked decent enough from a distance, gave off real pressure up close—even more than the county magistrate when he talked to them.

So no matter how reluctant this scholar was, he was ultimately half-pushed, half-persuaded by Ning Xishi all the way to the door of the "White Snow" private room.

Ning Xishi flashed a harmless, innocent grin: "Knock and take us in."

The scholar no longer dared to show any of the arrogance he'd had that morning. Under Ning Xishi's gaze, he raised his hand, trembling, and just as he was about to knock, the door to the private room swung open from inside.

"Why isn't Brother Guifeng here yet? Did he get so lost in his writing that he forgot the time?"

Before the words even faded, he saw the huge crowd at the door.

Ning Xishi kept his arm around Brother Guifeng's shoulder, walking in like he owned the place. He glanced around and saw that over half the room were Class A students.

Even though he rarely went to Class A and didn't know these people well, the Imperial Academy wasn't that big—people ran into each other all the time, and Ning Xishi at least recognized most faces.

As Ning Xishi walked in, the idlers behind him swarmed in too. Luckily, the White Snow room was big enough that they could squeeze in an extra table on the side.

"Oh, they're drinking Autumn Dew White," one of the idlers behind Ning Xishi, a big drinker, said with a grin as he caught the scent. "This is my dad's favorite, but the old man's salary could never afford it. Gentlemen, you're that loaded?"

Ning Xishi kept his expression neutral, pretending not to notice anything off. He kept smiling as he said, "Looks like our Class A classmates are hiding their talents. Come on, on behalf of my Class C classmates, I'll toast you all."

Ning Xishi casually poured himself a cup and knocked it back in one go.

It really was Autumn Dew White.

He loved wine, but couldn't identify it by smell alone—but once it hit his tongue, how could he not know?

Autumn Dew White was not only expensive but also extremely scarce. The water used to brew it was dew collected on late autumn nights, hence the name. In the period right after late autumn, when the wine was plentiful, one could still buy it in the markets. But now it was high summer—where would Autumn Dew White come from?

For these scholars from humble backgrounds to be drinking Autumn Dew White, someone powerful must be backing them.

The idlers had been craving the Autumn Dew White anyway. Seeing Ning Xishi shamelessly pour himself a cup, it was as if a whole new world had opened up—they all scrambled to find cups and start drinking.

"All these years and I never managed to get to know all our Class A colleagues—my fault. Let me atone with a penalty drink." One idler said.

"Last time our Class C had a meal and didn't invite you all—I'm here to apologize to our Class A classmates too. I'll fine myself." Qi Huairui chimed in.

"And me—last time we beat you at cuju, my apologies."

"..."

While the Class A students' faces grew increasingly grim, Ning Xishi was thinking about the first thing his own people had said—not getting to know everyone.

It wasn't strange that he alone didn't recognize so many Class A students. But what if none of them recognized a particular person?

Wouldn't that mean that person was the host? And not actually a Class A student at all?

It wasn't that Ning Xishi was quick to latch onto any clue and dig deeper—the symbol that had been drawn for the Beggar Clan Chief had appeared all the way inside the Imperial Academy, which sat right next to the imperial palace, with extremely tight security.

Even someone with Ning Xishi's lightness of movement couldn't guarantee escaping undetected.

Yet that symbol had been painted inside the Academy so silently.

—They have someone inside the Academy.

This deduction made Ning Xishi's head throb even more. The enemy was in the shadows while he was in the light, and he didn't even know what they wanted from him—it made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.

But since they'd let this little thread slip into his hands, they wouldn't be getting away clean.

Ning Xishi quickly identified a completely unfamiliar figure, but didn't tip his hand. He simply had the waiter come in and set up a fresh table of food and drink, then chatted and joked with his friends.

"Second Brother Ning, during the two months you were away, you have no idea how miserable we were."

"Second Brother Ning, you're finally back."

"Hey, is it true that when a man grows up he has to get married? My mother's been looking at potential brides for me lately, and I really don't want to spend my life with a woman."

At that, everyone started teasing him in unison: "You don't want to be with a woman—so you like men—"

The words cut off abruptly.

In the past, this kind of joke was fair game. But now, with a brother who'd actually married a man sitting right there, no one dared to continue.

Ning Xishi sighed and went back to eating.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want to get married. I think staying single is just fine."

“Yours isn’t so bad—you’re just at the looking stage. I’ve been promised to a girl since we were kids, and her folks are demanding I at least pass the county exam, or they’ll call off the engagement. My mom’s losing her mind—I’m at the academy all day, and at night I’ve got two tutors drilling me at home. I’m just not cut out for the imperial exams!”

“Haha, brother, hang by your hair and stab your thigh—if you make it big, don’t forget your bros!”

“Bottoms up!”

After the meal, everyone headed home. Dongshuang, tipped off by Ning Xishi, waited at the gate, but the contents of the book box had long been swapped for dark clothes and hangover medicine.

Meanwhile, after Ning Xishi ducked out through the privy, the one who left wearing his clothes was just a decoy.

Dongshuang followed the decoy slowly toward the general’s mansion, his heart pounding, sweat starting to bead on his forehead.

The young master has to come back safe.

Ning Xishi donned his mask, confident in his inner strength and agility, but this was his first time tailing someone alone—it felt both absurd and thrilling.

—He truly couldn’t fathom why the unknown watcher had targeted him; if not for that, he’d be happily asleep right now.

Ning Xishi sighed and finally cornered the man at the mouth of an alley.

The moment he closed in, Ning Xishi knew things were serious—this guy knew martial arts, and he wasn’t half bad.

Ning Xishi had little close-combat ability and had never actually used it in a real fight. In his panic, his agility kicked in, letting him dodge the killing blow and grab the guy’s throat.

“Who the hell are you, and what do you want?” he said in a low voice.

“That’s my line, pal. You followed me here and tried to kill me…” The guy seemed to pick up on Ning Xishi’s nerves and got cockier.

Ning Xishi’s hand clenched. The man felt his throat squeeze, bones creaking.

Even Ning Xishi was a little freaked out by the sound. He said, “You see, I can’t control my own strength. If you don’t talk, I’ll really choke the life out of you.”

The guy finally got scared and stammered, “Don’t—don’t kill me! I’m from the Ming family.”

The Ming family, again.

Ning Xishi’s eyes narrowed. “What’s the Ming family after? Why are they sniffing around the Imperial Academy students?”

“You don’t know?” The man even dared to sound shocked.

Ning Xishi’s hand tightened again without restraint. “Spill it.”

“There’s a student in Class A who seems connected to Japanese pirates from across the sea, so the family head sent me to investigate.” The man grimaced in pain. “I thought you were one of the pirate’s accomplices. Since you’re not, why grab me?”

“What do the Japanese pirates have to do with the Ming family? Matters at the Imperial Academy should be handled by the capital’s magistrate,” Ning Xishi pressed.

“Ha! If the authorities were any use, there wouldn’t be so many common folk starving or being robbed and killed every year! Besides, who’s to say the officials aren’t in league with the pirates?”

Ning Xishi’s face scrunched up—he hated these scheming, convoluted games.

If officials really are in bed with the pirates, that’s huge!

The whole court might as well be finished.