Chapter 152: The Hidden Chamber and the Courtyard

As Wang Ling’s voice trailed off, a low murmur of conversation sounded once again from outside the living room. This voice, intimately familiar to everyone present, caught all of them off guard, though the first to react was Jin Sanpang, to whom the tones were both familiar and strange.

"Oh! Master Li is here, Master Ding has returned!" To Jin Sanpang, the sound of Ding Li’s voice outside the living room was practically heavenly music. Wiggling his corpulent frame at an astonishing speed, he rushed out, colliding directly with Ding Li, who was just opening the door to enter.

"Master Li! Master Li!"

Seeing this, Saiyigade, Xu Hong, and Wang Ling hurriedly cupped their fists in salute toward Ding Li. Even Liu Sheng and Xia Qing offered polite, smiling bows. Meanwhile, Jin Sanpang, sweating profusely, grabbed one of Ding Li’s arms and began to complain with a mournful, tearful expression: "You’ve finally returned! Master Li, if you hadn't come back, I, Sanpang, might have lost my little life!"

"Alright! Let's plan this out thoroughly!" Jin Sanpang’s antics left Ding Li somewhat amused yet exasperated. Mindful of the presence of Liu Sheng and Xia Qing, Ding Li merely patted Jin Sanpang’s shoulder with a reassuring smile before turning to the two women. "I'm back. I was delayed on the road, and came straight here upon entering the city!"

With that, Ding Li’s gaze shifted to appraise Xia Qing, whose demeanor seemed entirely transformed. Hesitating for a moment, he smiled and asked, "Lady Xia, are you settling in well here? If you need anything or feel uncomfortable, please don't hesitate to speak with Sheng'er! Since you've already come, don't stand on ceremony. I happen to be quite busy lately, so consider it doing me a favor by staying here at home to keep Sheng'er company."

Ding Li’s words were pitched to absolute perfection. He knew that a portion of the money used to redeem Xia Qing from the brothel had been provided by Liu Sheng, not to mention the influence involved—unaided, Xia Qing could never have forced the madam to let her go so easily. Ding Li’s final explanation provided Xia Qing with immense peace of mind. By framing her stay as an excuse to keep Liu Sheng company, he completely erased any lingering hesitation in her heart and effortlessly drew their relationships much closer.

"It's getting late. You should all go back and rest first! I still have some matters to discuss." Seeing Xia Qing bow slightly in gratitude, Ding Li waved his hand gently. Looking at Liu Sheng with a faint smile, he walked toward her and offered his arm, his face wearing a tender expression.

In such matters, Liu Sheng was quite sensible. She felt deeply content just seeing Ding Li return safely, and now, being personally escorted out of the living room by him, the smile at the corner of her lips grew increasingly sweet over the dozen or so steps, almost as if honey might drip from it.

After exchanging brief farewells with Liu Sheng and Xia Qing and watching the two women depart, Ding Li turned and briskly returned to the living room, his expression now far more serious than before. Pondering for a moment, he frowned and asked Jin Sanpang directly, "There are eyes outside the estate. Are those tails following you?"

"Yes, yes, they are following me!" Jin Sanpang nodded repeatedly, his bitter gourd of a face twisted as if pulled by several large hands, before hastily shaking his head in explanation. "Master Li, listen to me! Those people are debt collectors sent by the Cao Commercial Guild! I haven't leaked a single word about the matter you asked me to investigate!"

***

"Debt collectors? How could debt collectors chase you all the way outside my estate?" Ding Li was puzzled by this explanation; just how massive must the debt be to make the Cao Commercial Guild go to such lengths?

"Master Li, it's like this!" Saiyigade seemed to sense Ding Li’s misgivings. He reached out to block Jin Sanpang’s explanation, stepped forward two paces, and continued earnestly, "In order to dig up Liu Fu’s whereabouts, Brother Jin ran short of funds while greasing palms here and there, so he privately sold a few properties at a discount! But the Cao Commercial Guild found out in the blink of an eye, and they assumed Brother Jin was liquidating his assets to flee! So, you see, they've been sticking to him like a shadow! After we came out of the Foreign Quarter tonight, those people followed us all the way outside the estate, but fortunately, they didn't start any trouble. It looks like they're only targeting Brother Jin."

"What is the meaning of this? Can stray cats and dogs run wild here?" Hearing this, Ding Li’s face sank, his tone plunging several degrees colder. He frowned and added coldly, "No matter the reason, if this happens again in the future, drive them all away! Otherwise, people will think we're easy to bully, and anyone can squat outside our estate. If this goes on, whose safety can be guaranteed in the future?"

"Understood, Master Li!" Saiyigade nodded sheepishly, exchanged a glance with the trembling Jin Sanpang beside him, and tentatively asked Ding Li, "Master Li, should... should I take a few brothers outside now?"

"No need. I didn't use the front gate when I came back; I walked a circle around the perimeter with Heizi. Anyone who needs to scram has already scrammed." Ding Li waved a hand, then sighed, walked over to the table, picked up a cup, and drank a mouthful of cold tea. Remembering the business at hand, he put the cup down and turned his gaze to Jin Sanpang. "Brother Jin, how did the investigation go? I'm truly sorry to have dragged you into selling your properties!"

"It's nothing, nothing at all!" Jin Sanpang hurriedly waved his hands in modest denial. Cupping his fists in a slight bow toward Ding Li, he took the opportunity to wipe the sweat from his brow onto his arm, then raised a face brimming with a mysterious smile and replied in a low voice, "Master Li, it’s been checked out! The news is absolutely accurate! As long as the plan is executed properly, success is guaranteed!"

"Let's hear it. If it's feasible, we must act tonight! We cannot delay!" Ding Li locked sharp gazes with Jin Sanpang for a few seconds, then waved a hand at him, gesturing toward a seat nearby. His eyes then swept to Wang Ling, and after a brief pause, he pointed to the chair behind her, nodding in signal. "Sit down. We're all our own people, no need to be formal."

Jin Sanpang seemed quite anxious, and his speaking speed was swift as he laid out the situation. Yet it was entirely comprehensible to Ding Li. Within a short moment, Jin Sanpang briefly recounted all the information he had gathered. Without waiting to see if the others had fully grasped it, Ding Li stood up and jerked his head toward the door. "Let's go. Tonight's the night. Without further ado, we move out immediately!"

Ever since entering the living room, Ding Li had already concluded that Wang Ling would inevitably tag along, so he didn't bother trying to stop her. Besides, he knew a thing or two about Wang Ling’s martial prowess; even if her injuries weren't fully healed, she wouldn't end up being dead weight.

And so, the newly returned Ding Li and Heizi, guided by Jin Sanpang, along with Saiyigade and Wang Ling—a total of five people—quietly slipped out through the back door of the Ding residence, vanishing into the night in the blink of an eye.

The Foreign Quarter had no tradition of closing its gates even until dawn. In the past, this was because many young foreigners doing coolie work at the docks would frequently return to the quarter late at night. Nowadays, though the port of Guangzhou was closed, the custom of keeping the gates wide open almost around the clock seemed to have become the norm. The five of them split into two groups to enter the Foreign Quarter, and nearly half an hour later, just as the Hour of Chou was approaching, they rendezvoused at the spot Jin Sanpang had arranged in advance.

***

"Master Li, it's right up ahead, turn left at the second alley mouth, the third courtyard!" Stepping close to Ding Li, Jin Sanpang cautiously surveyed his surroundings, pricked up his ears to listen intently, and—satisfied that only the faint sound of the wind met his ears—pointed just outside their hiding spot and whispered to Ding Li, "That courtyard is one I gave as a tribute long ago to smooth some paths. But I honestly never expected they would hide Liu Fu right here!"

"Is this what you meant about the secret chamber beneath the rooms?" Ding Li nodded slightly, cast a sideways glance at Jin Sanpang, patted his shoulder, and turned back to lower his voice in instructions to the others: "Stay here for now. I'll go ahead and check out the situation, I'll be right back!"

Without waiting for anyone to offer advice or dissuasion, Ding Li crouched low and bolted forward. The others only saw his legs flash rapidly before their eyes, and then he vanished from sight altogether. They didn't even hear any unusual noises from start to finish, save for the faint howling of the night wind.

About the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Ding Li suddenly and silently reappeared in their hiding spot. Aside from Heizi, who had anticipated this, the rest of them were thoroughly startled.

"Brother Jin! Somehow, this doesn't feel quite right!" Ding Li walked up to Jin Sanpang, frowning and shaking his head slowly beneath the pale moonlight, his face etched with doubt. "I just looked around the area. Not only were there no overt sentries, but I didn't spot a single covert guard either! What's more, when I got close to that courtyard, there seemed to be no security precautions inside whatsoever. Not even a single watchman on night duty!"

"Indeed, indeed! Master Li, that's where you lack local insight!" Jin Sanpang showed no extreme reaction, though the expression on his face as he nodded repeatedly laid bare his thoughts. Leaning out to take a quick glance and then rapidly pulling himself back, Jin Sanpang looked at Ding Li and explained, "Master Li, to be honest, I never imagined it would be like this either, but this intelligence was bought at a heavy price! It's right there in the secret chamber beneath the rooms inside. I know this courtyard well; ordinary people can't find that secret chamber! Furthermore, that secret chamber cannot be opened from the inside—only someone from the outside can enter. Even if there's no one guarding the people inside, they can't escape. Besides, the soundproofing of the entire secret chamber is exceptional; no matter how loud someone screams, not a whisper gets out!"

With that, Jin Sanpang puffed out his chest with a hint of pride, pointed toward the courtyard, and continued with his head held high, "Master Li, brothers, do you have any idea how much I paid to buy this courtyard back then? It was built during the early years of the Tang Dynasty, rumored to have been constructed when a prince or a crown prince was demoted to the Guangzhou prefecture. Though it was gradually torn down later on, this small courtyard with the secret chamber was always preserved!"

At this point, Jin Sanpang paused, smiled with considerable pride, and uttered a statement that left everyone utterly stunned: "I spent five thousand guan in coin to buy this estate!"