Return of the 13th Zodiac

20: To Catch a Mouse, To Trap a Cat (1)

A faint smile played on Shu Yue's lips as she read the letter in her hands. It was from Zhang Jianguo. It had been two days since he made an agreement with Lu Baiyu. The words written in the letter were nothing else but the matter of Lu Rui. Zhang Jianguo stated that he and Lu Rui would be departing from the village once he had written and sent this letter, implying that the two must have set out by now.

A light knock sounded at her door just as she finished reading the letter. The door opened and Xiao Ran came in. Shu Yue smiled at him as she raised the piece of parchment to show him.

"Teacher and his new student have just departed," Shu Yue informed her attendant.

A smile curled up one side of Xiao Ran's mouth. "Now that the boy is in your hands, the old man will be completely under your thumb." His brows furrowed into a thoughtful frown. "I'm still wondering, master. Why would the old man accept the offer and let the boy fall into your hands if he's aware your intentions? I'm sure he wouldn't want himself to be trapped like that."

"Apparently Elder Lu is already ensnared before we set our own trap. That bastard warned Elder Lu not to give me any trouble, which is why things are going a bit too easy for us."

"So, the old man's submissiveness was influenced by his fear toward that man."

Shu Yue's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "Did you get any information from Ancient Moon yet?"

"Yes, Young Mistress. I'm actually here regarding that matter. According to the young woman who works at the inn, there is this guest who matched the description that you gave. A tall man with silver moon eyes, disheveled clothes, and a black mole on his chin. His name is Yu Xuan, and he's currently staying at the inn. She said that he's been coming to the inn for the last few weeks."

"How interesting," Shu Yue muttered as she tied the money bag around her waist. "He must be quite wealthy to come and eat there often, let alone take lodging there. No wonder he was able to purchase a soul-binding scroll and then simply give it away like it doesn't cost a thousand gold taels."

"Did you really encounter him that day, Young Mistress?"

Shu Yue picked up the soul-binding scroll from the table and stared at it. "Yes, I'm sure of it that it's him. He struck me as odd and mischievous." She stuffed the scroll into her sleeves and changed the subject. "I have a bad feeling about the hunt."

"Given where the soul-binding scroll came from, I don't doubt that," Xiao Ran concurred.

For a member of a minor clan like her, it was not easy to get this scroll. Obtaining it without spending a single tael was a miracle in itself. In other words, it was a trap set for her from the start. Since he knew her true identity, he had the advantage in this game from the very beginning. But that didn't mean it wasn't possible to turn the tables.

"We'll be leaving in a few minutes," Shu Yue said. "It's time we meet the man behind all this."

Xiao Ran studied her for a moment before saying, "Are you sure about this, Young Mistress?"

She Yue just smiled. She would let herself be caught, that's the only way to get close to that man enough to unmask him. If he wanted her dead, he had done so already. He was definitely toying with her, but when she thought about it, everything he had done up until this point had been for her good. Whatever his intentions were, having her die wasn't one of them.

He wanted something from her.

And Shu Yue wanted him out of the picture.

***

When Shu Yue and Xiao Ran entered the inn, the sound of chatter came into dead silence and all eyes were on them. But that was to be expected. Xiao Ran's visible difference was bound to draw people's attention. Their gazes lingered on his white fox ears and tail, as if he were an ancient, foreign artifact, as people always do when they see a demi-human. Xiao Ran had his usually stoic face and didn't so much as glance at them. Likewise, Shu Yue ignored the stares and amused glances people were giving her bodyguard and headed for an empty table in the corner. Their light footsteps echoed against the marble floor.