Chapter 23: One should never harbor the intent to harm others, yet one must always maintain the vigilance to guard against them.

Jiang Yi and Shen Rong hurried the mule cart toward Ox Head Mountain, where the cries of wild beasts echoed incessantly. During the night, the mountain’s ferocious predators were at their most active; unless under exceptional circumstances, the people living below would never dream of spending the night on the slopes.

"Just leave the matter here. Before long, some beast will come by and drag the corpse away," Jiang Yi said, having already searched the assassin’s body and recovered two purses containing over ten taels of silver and a small amount of copper coins.

"For such a measly sum, they had the nerve to attempt an assassination? Do they really think so little of their own lives?" Shen Rong looked at the assassin's body with disdain; it was hardly worth the effort for such a pittance.

"They must have hidden the bulk of their money in a safe place. Carrying large sums on one's person is impractical for such missions," Jiang Yi replied. When performing an assassination, one cannot afford to be burdened by excess.

"We must leave quickly; some beasts are already closing in," Jiang Yi noted, spotting several pairs of glowing green eyes in the distance, steadily approaching their position. The couple climbed onto the cart and urged the mule to depart. Shen Rong gripped a torch, ready to ward off any creature that came too close. Seeing the firelight, the beasts kept their distance, though in the dim glow, the pair could just make out a pack of wild dogs circling the assassin’s remains. The dogs did not pursue them, and the couple soon guided the mule cart into a mountain cave.

Inside, they lit a fire, both to provide warmth and to deter the predators. They huddled together, finding comfort and reassurance in each other’s presence.

"You sleep for a while; I will keep watch," Jiang Yi said, helping Shen Rong settle before standing up to fetch the hay from the cart. He spread a sheet over the hay so they could sleep in their clothes.

Shen Rong wanted Jiang Yi to get some rest, too. "You sleep first; I’ll take the first watch."

"I slept enough during the first half of the night. You go on," he insisted. Shen Rong followed his lead and lay down on the hay; she was truly exhausted. Jiang Yi loaded his two three-barreled flintlocks with gunpowder and lead shot, preparing for any sudden attacks from men or beasts. He glanced at a small, sealed opening within the cave wall, curious about what might be hidden inside. He hadn't brought the right tools today, but he resolved to bring them another time to pry it open.

Shen Rong slept for only two hours before rising to wake Jiang Yi, taking over the watch. When Jiang Yi finally woke, the sky had already brightened. Shen Rong had built a makeshift stove with stones and was boiling dumplings brought from home in a small iron pot, her gaze fixed on the cave entrance.

Seeing her husband awake, she walked over and handed him two bamboo tubes. "Wash up first; the food will be ready in a moment."

Jiang Yi took the tubes and stepped outside the cave, using a toothbrush dipped in charcoal powder to clean his teeth. In the Great Liang Dynasty, toothbrushes and tooth powder were widely sold and quite affordable. As he finished washing and prepared to re-enter the cave to eat with his wife, he noticed a group of men approaching in the distance, armed with bows and knives. At their head was Cui Peng, which immediately put Jiang Yi on high alert. Encountering this group in the mountains could easily lead to extreme consequences. He knew that Cui Peng and his men must still be harboring great resentment over their failure to hunt the tiger previously.

Jiang Yi entered the cave. "Cui Peng and his men are here. Hide the money."

Shen Rong, who was dishing out the dumplings, replied, "Don't worry, it’s already hidden. They must be here to hunt. As long as we don't provoke them, they shouldn't look for trouble with us." Still, the couple remained prepared to defend themselves if the group proved to have malicious intent.

A short while later, Cui Peng and his followers arrived outside the cave, having already spotted Jiang Yi. "Out hunting so early? Since you’re here, why don't we join forces?" Cui Peng had brought his men to hunt a black bear; a successful kill would fetch a generous reward.

Among the group, a man named Yang Liu kept his gaze fixed on Shen Rong, unable to stop himself from swallowing hard. He thought she was far more beautiful than the women in other villages and began to harbor wicked thoughts. Sensing his lewd stare, Shen Rong felt a surge of irritation.

"What beast are you planning to hunt, and what are your chances of success?" Jiang Yi asked. If they were heading deep into the mountains to hunt tigers, he and his wife would absolutely refuse.

"We’ve found a cave containing a black bear. If we kill it and deliver it to the Prefect, we’ll receive a bounty of a thousand strings of cash," Cui Peng explained. Having heard in Hanyang City that Jiang Yi was skilled and had previously helped Chang Yushan hunt a tiger, he was convinced that Jiang Yi possessed both martial prowess and exceptional marksmanship.

"With ten of you, hunting a black bear shouldn't be difficult. Why add an outsider like me?" Jiang Yi suspected the situation was not so simple—perhaps they merely wanted him to serve as cannon fodder.

"I’ve heard your skills are impressive. With you, our odds of success increase. Don't worry, once we kill the bear, you will be well rewarded." As he spoke, the hunters behind him blocked the cave entrance, making it clear that if Jiang Yi refused, they wouldn't let the couple leave.

"And if I refuse? What then?" Jiang Yi asked. He had no intention of risking his life hunting a black bear for a pittance, nor was he familiar with these men.

"If you refuse, don't even think about hunting on Ox Head Mountain ever again. Do you hear me?"

Jiang Yi smiled. "I take that as a threat. Ox Head Mountain belongs to everyone; it is not yours to decide who may use it."

"I may not decide, but the Prefect does. He requires several bear and tiger pelts to present to the Emperor."

Jiang Yi believed him to some extent. The Prefect was the highest-ranking official in the province; if Jiang Yi didn't cooperate, he wouldn't just be barred from the mountain. The Prefect could make life impossible for him in countless other ways.

"Since you can hunt tigers, you clearly have the guts. Cooperating with us will be to your benefit," Cui Peng added.

Shen Rong, seeing how aggressive Cui Peng was, worried for her husband. Hunting a black bear was perilous, and these men might force him to face the bear alone to distract it. Yang Liu chimed in with a sinister smile, "You’d better think carefully. If you help us take down a few bears and tigers, the Prefect will surely hold you in higher regard."

Jiang Yi finally made his decision. "Fine, I agree to cooperate. But let us finish our meal, and I will first take my wife back down the mountain." He knew he had little choice; without power or influence, he was subject to their threats. He felt deeply resentful, yet he had no choice but to endure. Once he earned enough money, he would recruit men and build his own strength.

"Eat, then take her down," Cui Peng agreed.

After their meal, the couple packed their belongings onto the mule cart and Jiang Yi escorted his wife down the mountain. Cui Peng and his men waited in the cave, unconcerned that Jiang Yi might not return.

At the foot of the mountain, Jiang Yi told her, "Stay at home once you get there. Things are not peaceful around Hanyang City." He knew his wife was implicated and could be in danger at any moment. He suspected Cui Peng had been bribed to use this hunt as a pretext to eliminate him. Since the previous assassins had not returned, the mastermind behind them—who Jiang Yi knew to be Cao Zhang and Cao Xueying, though they were far away in Gaojing—would have devised a new scheme. Cao Zhang had sent his confidant to Hanzhou to dispatch more assassins, determined to identify and remove this threat. Jiang Yi knew that to survive, he had to keep hunting, and that inherently involved risk.

"Husband, please be careful," Shen Rong said. "The black bear is terrifying, but even more so are those with malicious intent. You must guard against Cui Peng and his men." She didn't understand the complex power struggles of the elite, but she knew one simple truth: while one should not harbor the intent to harm others, one must always be on guard against those who do.