Chapter Fifteen: A Dazzling Performance

Shi Yuheng, with no other choice, sat down beside Ye Pei to listen to what she had to say. After all, there was no use in resisting now—his wife and child were in her hands.

Yet Ye Pei’s opening words made Shi Yuheng bristle with anger. “Old Shi, I hope that once you take office, you’ll cooperate with me from inside and help rescue a prisoner named Meng Huaicheng. That’s all I ask.” But Ye Pei knew well how excessive this demand was. Anyone qualified to become a guard in the Celestial River Prison was unquestioningly loyal to their country and their military post. Even with his family held hostage, Shi Yuheng would never agree to such a request that would betray his beliefs.

Why didn’t Ye Pei kidnap a family member of an active prison guard instead? According to the regulations of Xia, the relatives of active guards in the Celestial River Prison were all gathered together in special housing, allowing the state to protect and monitor them.

As expected, Shi Yuheng firmly rejected the request. “How dare you! You want a soldier of Xia to conspire with you to rescue a criminal?”

Ye Pei was prepared for this reaction and remained calm. “Old Shi, your wife and child are in my hands.”

Shi Yuheng’s expression grew grave. “If you truly harm them, I’ll risk my life for revenge! But you want me to collude with you? Impossible! If not for my family’s safety, I would have summoned the city guard to arrest you already!”

Ye Pei nodded and relaxed her demands. “Let’s compromise. I won’t ask you to help me rescue him.”

She paused here, noticing Shi Yuheng visibly relax, then continued, “All I need is for you to find out which area and cell Meng Huaicheng is in. That’s it. I won’t ask anything more of you.”

Ye Pei had played a clever trick. If she’d directly requested information, Shi Yuheng would likely refuse. But by first proposing something outrageous, then offering her true request as a concession, the chances of agreement increased.

It’s much like someone asking to borrow money. If they say, “Brother, lend me five hundred coins, I’m in a bind,” you’ll hesitate, wondering if they’ll ever pay you back. But if they start with, “Hey, lend me five thousand!” your immediate response is, “Forget it! I don’t even have that much myself!” Then, when they say, “Alright, then just five hundred?” you’re more likely to agree, thinking it’s not much compared to five thousand, and surely there are bigger fools who’ll lend even more, so you won’t be the worst off.

In the end, you lend them the five hundred, though that’s all they ever wanted.

Sure enough, Shi Yuheng’s expression showed clear internal struggle. Sensing this, Ye Pei pressed her advantage. “Just deliver this message for me and I’ll release your wife and child. I promise they’ll be treated well while they’re here.”

Shi Yuheng looked even more tempted. Ye Pei paused a few seconds, then asked, “Old Shi, what do you think of my skills?”

Shi Yuheng didn’t hesitate, replying, “For your age, your ability is impressive!”

Ye Pei continued, “Then do you think I have any chance of breaking into the Celestial River Prison?”

Shi Yuheng replied, “Absolutely not! The wardens of the three zones are all top masters. Facing any one of them would be difficult for you!”

What Shi Yuheng did not know was that Ye Pei hadn’t used her full strength against him. To Shi Yuheng, the martial arts of the three wardens were unmatched in the world, comparable to the greatest vanguard officers. That’s why he spoke so confidently.

Ye Pei said, “So why hesitate? You don’t need to wait for my success. As soon as you give me the information, I’ll let your family go. And I’ll likely fail anyway, so it won’t affect you.”

Ye Pei’s argument was flawed—why attempt something certain to fail? But Shi Yuheng, anxious for his family’s safety and fervently loyal to the power of the state, found Ye Pei’s logic convincing. After several minutes, he agreed.

Shi Yuheng then raised the issue of the army arriving to take his family away when he assumed his post in a few days. Ye Pei offered a solution, effective though it left Shi Yuheng uncomfortable.

With less than ten days until Shi Yuheng took office, the plan had to be enacted quickly. After much thought, Shi Yuheng decided not to let Ye Pei inform his wife.

Yet, the obstacle came from an unexpected quarter.

That night—

“No! What kind of plan is this? How can you ask your sister-in-law to do such a thing?” Huang Qing was visibly agitated after hearing Ye Pei’s plan.

Ye Pei was taken aback but smiled, “Brother, why not ask her opinion first?”

At that moment, Huang Qing’s wife, Xu Wan, entered, asking what the matter was.

After hearing Ye Pei’s plan, Xu Wan immediately agreed.

But Huang Qing remained adamant. “No! He’s only seventeen, and you’re going along with his nonsense? And you!” He pointed at Ye Pei. “Isn’t there another way? You want your sister-in-law and nephew to do this?”

Xu Wan replied, “Oh, it’s interesting! What harm is there in helping Pei?”

Huang Qing objected, “Ye Pei! Why not ask Shi Yuheng’s wife to do it?”

Ye Pei said, “She’s too weak—a gentle woman without the strength to harm a chicken…”

Huang Qing roared, cutting her off, “And your sister-in-law isn’t weak…”

But he didn’t finish. Huang Qing, learned and business-savvy since childhood, was felled by a swift palm from his wife.

Ye Pei moved quickly, catching his cousin as he collapsed and carrying him in his arms.

Xu Wan dusted her hands, “Pei, put him in the bedroom. A weak woman—now I’m a weak woman?”

Ye Pei’s sister-in-law, though slender, had trained in martial arts since childhood, while Huang Qing, tall and sturdy, was actually a gentle scholar.

The plan itself was rather simple.

The next morning—

“Pei, is your disguise reliable? No one will recognize me, right?” Xu Wan scrutinized her transformed face in the mirror.

Ye Pei put away his tools, sighing, “Sister-in-law, you needn’t worry. My work is flawless. The real issue is…” He glanced at his cousin, still unconscious. “Wasn’t your palm a bit too heavy? He’s been asleep for five or six hours…”

Xu Wan stood up, “No matter! He’s a grown man; he can take it. Come, let’s go fight.” With that, she went to find her son. Ye Pei sighed and went outside to wait.

Soon, Xu Wan emerged with her son, Huang Mingyi.

…

The main players were calm, but Alan, playing an extra, was nervous.

“Pei, will this really work?”

“It’s the only way. Though it involves prison guards, the authorities likely won’t investigate too closely. Once Old Meng is out and chaos ensues, they’ll have their hands full. As long as Old Shi gives a convincing performance, we’re fine.”

“What about blood packets…”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Xu Wan assured. “I’ve been in plenty of fights—I know how to make blood fly.”

There was still some distance to the bustling market. The group split up. Alan and Shi Yuheng’s “family” (Xu Wan and her son) approached the market from different directions, while Ye Pei waited a moment, then headed that way too.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhongqing stayed in the courtyard, keeping Shi’s wife company and watching over her.

“Dear, I want that string of beads!” At the edge of the market, Xu Wan suddenly slapped Shi Yuheng and pointed to a street vendor.

Shi Yuheng’s expression was stiff. “We’re here for groceries. That’s just cheap trinkets; don’t buy them.”

Xu Wan insisted, “If you don’t buy it, I’ll go home tomorrow and take our son with me!”

Shi Yuheng nearly coughed up blood. “My wife’s parents have long since passed away! If they were alive, they’d be here under state protection!” But there was nothing he could do. He relented, “Alright, alright, buy it then.” As they approached the stall, Shi Yuheng called out, “Shopkeeper, that string of beads—”

Suddenly, a hand snatched the beads, slapping down a silver ingot. A clear voice rang out, “That’s enough, keep the change.”

Ye Pei turned to leave, but Shi Yuheng grabbed her arm. “Young man, we wanted those beads first. Could you let us have them?”

Ye Pei raised an eyebrow. “Whoever buys first gets them. What, you want to fight for it?”

Shi Yuheng looked embarrassed, “It’s not that. We could trade fairly. There are plenty on the stall; perhaps if you…”

Ye Pei tossed her hand, “No.”

Xu Wan chimed in, “Why be like that? We’ll pay you for them.”

Ye Pei scoffed, “Do I look like someone who needs money? Hmph.” She shot a scornful look at Shi Yuheng.

Shi Yuheng grabbed Ye Pei, “What’s your problem? If you won’t sell, fine, but don’t look down on us!”

Ye Pei, full of street swagger, shoved Shi Yuheng, “What are you going to do?”

Their argument drew a crowd.

Shi Yuheng seized Ye Pei’s wrist and barked, “Want to fight?”

Alan, who was supposed to play it by ear, decided to add drama, shouting from the crowd, “Wow, the soldiers are about to hit someone!”

Some sharp-eyed spectators noticed the insignia on Shi Yuheng’s chest. The crowd stirred.

“What’s going on here?”

“The officer and that young man are fighting over beads.”

“That young man is really handsome!”

“I just arrived—is the officer abusing his authority?”

“Hey, brother, want to see my five-stone powder? It’s dirt cheap.”

Though some of the comments were odd, they didn’t matter.

Xu Wan, seeing Shi Yuheng hesitate, grew anxious. She channeled her strength and suddenly pushed him at the waist. Shi Yuheng, caught off guard, stumbled toward Ye Pei…