The cart arrived at Yanjing City in the early hours of the morning. A pale mist hung over the roads, softening the edges of the towering city walls. The guards at the gate barely glanced at them as merchants, farmers, and travelers slowly filed into the city.
The trio thanked the driver and apologized for the inconvenience they had caused before stepping down from the cart.
Yuanshi paused for a moment after entering the gates.
Yanjing City was completely different from the small cities they had traveled through before.
The streets were wide enough for three carriages to pass side by side, paved with carefully fitted stone that had been worn smooth by countless footsteps. Lanterns hung from tall wooden poles along the roads, their soft light still glowing faintly from the night before.
Even at this early hour, the city was already awake.
Vendors were setting up their stalls, the smell of steamed buns and roasted chestnuts drifting through the morning air. Workers carried baskets of vegetables across the streets while shopkeepers swept the front of their stores.
The buildings themselves were unlike anything they had seen before.
Many were three or four stories tall, their curved tiled roofs layered like scales. Some shops had beautiful wooden balconies decorated with carved railings, while others were constructed with brick and pale stone that gave them a sturdier, more permanent appearance.
Canals ran through parts of the city, crossed by elegant stone bridges that arched gracefully over the water. The reflections of the buildings shimmered softly on the surface.
The siblings looked around in quiet awe.
Even Yuanshi found herself slightly impressed.
For a civilization without modern machinery, the engineering was remarkable. The mixture of architectural styles made the city feel strangely familiar to her, almost like a blend of old European cities and Edo-period Japan.
It truly was a grand city.
After finding a room at an inn, the siblings finally settled in. They took turns bathing, washing away the dust and exhaustion from their journey.
Ergu, however, seemed distressed by the events of the previous night. Not long after lying down, he began running a slight fever.
Yuanshi soaked a rag in cool water and gently placed it over his forehead before laying him back onto the bed.
"Rest," she whispered softly.
The boy soon drifted back to sleep.
With Ergu asleep, Yuanshi and Yuexi finally had the chance to process everything that had happened the previous day.
Yuanshi sat at the edge of the bed, staring down at the damp cloth resting on Ergu's forehead.
"In everything we do from now on," she said quietly, "we have to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Cultivators really can't be offended."
Yuexi leaned back in the chair with a tired sigh, rubbing her temples.
"Well, unfortunately for us," she muttered, "we already offended a very strong one."
She gave a short laugh that held no humor.
"And now we have a lifelong debt to pay."
Yuanshi bent forward, burying her face in her hands.
"What if…" she said slowly, "we just save the ten million silver taels?"
Yuexi's head snapped up.
"Just save ten million silver taels?" she repeated incredulously.
She sat up straight, staring at Yuanshi as if she'd gone mad.
"Do you even hear what you're saying? Ten million! How are we supposed to save that kind of money while running missions for him?"
Her voice dropped.
"And if we fail the first one, our lives are still on the line. We're completely at his mercy."
Yuanshi felt her chest tighten.
Her stomach churned, and she pressed a hand against it as if trying to steady herself.
"How are we supposed to infiltrate the Wei family now?" she whispered hoarsely. "What am I going to do?"
Her voice cracked.
"How do we get out of the mess I dragged everyone into?"
For a moment the room fell silent.
Yuexi exhaled slowly before reaching over and nudging Yuanshi's shoulder.
"As long as the three of us are together," she said quietly, "that's all that matters."
Yuanshi looked up.
Yuexi gave her a small but steady smile.
"And I trust you. You have me. We'll figure it out."
Yuanshi suddenly leaned forward and hugged her tightly.
"I promise you," she murmured into her shoulder, "we'll repay that debt… no matter what it takes."
She pulled back slightly.
"At least we still have the money we made from selling the maps."
Yuexi immediately pushed her away.
"Don't you dare get any ideas," she warned, pointing a finger at her. "I'm not letting you squander that too."
Yuanshi laughed weakly.
"By the way," Yuexi added, crossing her arms, "where exactly do we even start this mission?"
Yuanshi thought for a moment.
"Well…" she said slowly, "we start by finding out everything we can about the Wei family."
That afternoon, Yuanshi and Yuexi headed into the market.
They bought new clothes, shoes, and small pieces of jewelry for themselves, and for Ergu as well. If they were going to approach a powerful family like the Weis, they at least needed to look presentable.
The market was enormous, and the sisters spent a long time wandering through the streets as they tried to familiarize themselves with the city.
Before leaving the inn earlier, Yuanshi had paid one of the attendants three silver taels to keep an eye on Ergu while they were gone.
Upon returning to their room, they saw the young attendant sitting beside the bed, gently wringing out a damp cloth in a small basin.
She quickly stood up when she noticed them enter.
Yuanshi smiled apologetically.
"Thank you so much for looking after him. I hope he hasn't been too much trouble."
The girl shook her head quickly, looking a little embarrassed.
"It's alright, my lady," she said softly. "He only woke up once and asked for water. His fever seems to be going down."
At that moment, Ergu heard their voices.
He immediately climbed off the bed and ran toward them.
Yuanshi bent down and picked him up before he could trip over the edge of the blanket.
"Sister… I'm hungry," he said, tugging lightly at her sleeve.
Yuanshi laughed and pinched his cheeks.
"We'll go have dinner downstairs."
The boy puffed out his cheeks in protest.
"You always leave me alone. We have to eat together."
Yuanshi sighed in defeat.
"Alright, alright. All three of us."
The boy's face immediately lit up.
Watching the scene, the attendant covered her mouth slightly, trying not to smile.
Still holding Ergu, Yuanshi turned back to her.
"I'm new to the city," she said. "I have a few questions. Do you know anyone who might know this place well?"
The girl thought for a moment before answering.
"I only came here a few months ago myself, my lady," she admitted. "But the inn manager has been here for many years. Everyone in the street knows him."
She added shyly,
"He's a very kind person. I'm sure he'd be happy to help."
Yuanshi nodded thoughtfully.