The sight of the Tang estate sunk in darkness felt familiar and strange at the same time. With not a single light burning, the manor lay silent on all sides.

It was probably their way of telling me to leave quietly, without making a scene, without even letting the rats or birds notice.

Faces I had grown attached to ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ over the past year or so rose one by one in my mind. Songji, Gyeonga, Deokju, Uncle Geunmyeong, Brother Un.

And...

The image of Grandfather inside the closed-door training chamber flickered before my eyes. I did not regret sending Tang Jung in there, but my stomach still twisted at the thought of how he might blame himself once he learned what had happened.

I rubbed at the aching tip of my nose and looked up at the sky.

Hwahong had been right. The time had come when I needed a new identity.

Where was I supposed to go? Where could I go and still survive?

Moon-Fragrance Pavilion was out. It sat right in the middle of Chengdu, which meant my route would be exposed. They would chase me down and kill me before I could even receive Hwahong’s help, then try to disguise it as an accident.

But I could not just head into the mountains at random, either. I did not know the roads. Getting attacked while wandering around like an idiot was not on my list of preferred deaths.

I was clenching and unclenching my fists as I racked my brain when someone grabbed me and yanked me roughly aside.

“How do you have time to stand around like an idiot? You need to leave right now. Follow me.”

It was Tang Juhee.

“Sister? Why...?”

Tang Juhee pressed hard against my lips and shook her head.

“First. Don’t ask anything. I’m not taking questions. Second. The person helping you is Brother Un. I just came because he asked me to. His eyes are... not in good shape. Third. I’m not the one who poisoned your betrothed. I don’t poison ordinary people. They die before they can even take the antidote.”

“...I know, Sister.”

“You’re grateful, right? If you’re grateful, let me poison you next time.”

No thanks.

Tang Juhee sniffed primly as she arranged my future for me and started walking in front. Even in the dark, she did not lose her sense of direction and found the way without hesitation.

Her attitude was so completely normal that it snapped me back to myself. I shook my head hard. This was no time to wallow in sentiment. Just like she said, I had to leave immediately.

When we opened the side door that ran straight from the inner estate to the outer estate, I saw Tang Un standing by the narrow path leading outside the walls. Beside him stood a sturdy-looking horse.

“Brother Un? Your health is bad enough already. Why are you out here?”

“With things like this, how could I possibly stay in bed? Sohae. Would you come a little closer?”

Tang Un smiled gently and reached out to me. When I approached hesitantly, that large hand pulled me into an embrace.

I buried my head against his chest just like that. The scent of orchids mixed with medicinal decoction tickled my nose.

“You’ve been through so much. You’ve gotten so thin.”

I had only been in the prison cells for a single night. There was no way I could have lost weight already. But I did not dislike Tang Un’s fussing.

Not everyone was my enemy. At the very least, Tang Un was looking out for me.

Tang Un stroked my hair as he spoke.

“Father cast you out to protect you. He could not hand down a severe punishment to you while you were bearing false blame, but if he handed you over to the Gu Clan, you would have suffered terribly, so he judged it would be better for you to stay away until things quieted down.”

There was no way Tang Muheok had been thinking of me that much. But Tang Un’s soothing words did help me understand the situation more objectively.

I was not the only one put in a difficult position by Gu Gyeongcheon’s death. The Tang Clan was in trouble too, since they had been planning to use me as bait to bring in the Yuzhou Merchant Guild.

“Just hold out for a little while on the outside. You’ll be able to return soon enough.”

“Brother. We don’t have time for a heart-to-heart.” 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Tang Juhee cut him off coldly and pulled the two of us apart. Then she began explaining at once.

“The leather pouch tied around the horse’s waist has extra food. I packed fasting pills and ten days’ worth of rations. The other bundle has Hwagol Powder, a few poisons, and hidden weapons.”

“What kind of poisons?”

“I took every lethal poison from the Poison King Hall that wouldn’t be noticed if it went missing. I also swiped extra hidden weapons from Chohui’s residence. Pay her back later. The silk pouch has silver in it, so don’t lose it.”

So she had stolen poisons from the Poison King Hall and hidden weapons from the iron workshop for my sake.

Despite claiming she had only come because Tang Un asked, Tang Juhee was doing everything she could to help me.

I felt genuinely grateful to her.

“Thank you, Sister.”

“If you’re grateful, let me poison you next time.”

“Thank you for agreeing to such a difficult favor, Juhee.”

“If Brother asks, I could poison even the emperor in Jinling.”

“...That will not be necessary. Here, Sohae. Take this.”

Tang Un gently steered the conversation elsewhere and pressed something into my hand.

“This throwing knife was made for me by my mother when I was little. It will be hard to get hidden weapons outside, so I think it would be better if you took it.”

“That’s meteoric iron. Don’t lose it.”

“This is my identity token. I never leave the Tang Clan, so you may take it with you. There may come a day when you need to prove that you are part of the Tang direct line. And this is...”

“Hwagol Powder. Brother. You need to send her off before it gets any later.”

Tang Juhee, having urged him on, removed an earring from her ear.

“Put this on before you go.”

I blinked. The snake-shaped jade earring coiled in a loop was Tang Juhee’s favorite possession.

“But that’s something you treasure.”

“I’m doing it because I’ll have bad dreams if you die. Use it as a last resort. Who knows? Maybe my earring will save your life.”

“Could you not talk like my death is a given?”

“If you end up in a situation where you can’t widen the distance between you and your enemy, twist the snake’s head. Poison fumes will leak out and buy you some time. Now stop talking and go.”

Tang Juhee finished explaining and hung the earring on my ear. I nodded and turned to Tang Un.

“What happened to Deokju?”

“She was imprisoned, but the Black Cloud Guard Captain has taken notice of her. She will be released soon.”

“That’s a relief. I hope she can use this chance to return to the Black Cloud Guard. Brother... could I ask you to look after Songji and Gyeonga?”

“Of course. Your brother will look after them well, so do not worry. Your safety comes first.”

“And Cane too. He likes jerky, so if you think of him sometimes, please give him a piece.”

“KYANG!”

At that moment, a squeal rang out, and a furry lump popped its head out of the pouch hanging from the saddle.

“Cane?”

“Your sable had been inside that pouch ever since we were packing your things. He was eating well.”

Tang Juhee shrugged. I pulled Cane out of the pouch.

“Cane. Stay in the Tang Clan. If you come with me, you won’t get any meat.”

“KII!”

Cane struggled as if to say absolutely not, sprang lightly onto the horse, and climbed right back into the jerky pouch.

“Take him with you. Cane will be lonely too if you aren’t there.”

Tang Un urged me gently. After hesitating, I patted the pouch Cane had crawled into, as if I had no choice.

For Cane’s sake, leaving him behind in the Tang Clan was the right thing to do. But I did not want to.

At least if Cane was with me...

I thought I would feel less alone.

I knew it was selfish. But that was how I felt.

I grabbed the horse’s mane and put my foot in the stirrup. As soon as I awkwardly hauled myself into the saddle, my thighs started trembling.

Tang Juhee looked at me like I was pathetic.

“You never learned how to ride? You look awful.”

“I never had any reason to ride one.”

“What a lame excuse. Spread your legs a little more. Keep your back straighter. Who taught you this badly?”

“Grandfather did.”

“...”

Tang Juhee snapped her mouth shut. If she kept criticizing, she would practically be committing familial annihilation.

As if nothing had happened, she changed the subject.

“You know why I packed the Hwagol Powder without me having to explain it, right?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t hold back when you strike. Clean up all traces. Otherwise they’ll track you.”

“What do you mean, track me?”

“Do you think the Yuzhou Merchant Guild is going to sit quietly after their son died? Now that you’ve been cast out, they don’t need to mind the Tang Clan anymore. They’ll probably hire wandering martial artists to kill you.”

Tang Juhee answered as if it were obvious. Sweat slicked the hand holding the reins.

It was not only the person who had killed Gu Gyeongcheon who would be after me. People from the Gu Clan would be after me too.

This might be far more dangerous than I had thought.

“Go to the southern docks and take a ship to Langzhong. Not the docks outside the city gate. The household servants might see you boarding.”

“Understood.”

“Once you reach Langzhong, head straight for Chongqing. If you move fast, you should be able to shake off anyone following you.”

After giving her instructions in an even tone, Tang Juhee jerked her chin at Tang Un as if telling me to say goodbye.

I forced out a single sentence.

“Brother. I’m going.”

I deliberately did not say farewell. I was afraid it really would become the last one.

Tang Un smiled and waved his hand.

“Send word whenever you can. Just the two words ‘safe and sound’ will be enough.”

Tang Un seemed utterly convinced that I would survive. Or maybe he was speaking his wish aloud, praying for my safety by giving it words.

I drew in a deep breath and kicked the horse’s side. The horse snorted, then charged into the darkness.

*****

It was a pitch-black night without even moonlight.

I had been riding for over two hours, but the docks were nowhere in sight.

My body, unused to horseback riding, was screaming. My chafed thighs burned, and pain shot through my back from the way I had kept it rigid to hold my balance.

My heart was pounding with anxiety.

How much farther was it to the docks? Could I make it there before I fell off the horse?

Judging from how badly my legs were shaking, I probably could not hold on for even another two hours. No, probably not even another hour.

I had to reach the docks as fast as possible.

I was just about to urge the horse on, estimating the remaining distance, when I heard the sound of hoofbeats in the distance.

Cold sweat ran down my back. If pursuers had already caught up to me, there was no way left to escape.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

It felt like my heart might leap right out through my throat.

Was it some traveler passing by by chance? Or an assassin after me?

The hoofbeats came closer and closer until they were right beside me. I stared into the darkness and gripped the throwing knife in a reverse hold.