Just under thirty li east of Puzhou City, the land crossed a prefectural boundary.
Beyond that line lay the territory of the Hedong Circuit.
Li Daoxuan's co-sensing arrived there first—locking onto Xiao Lake.
The lake sprawled wide, surrounded by countless salt villages. This entire region was already firmly under Gao Family Village's control. Salt workers moved in orderly lines, digging and tending salt ponds, drying crystals under the pale winter sun before transporting them onward to Puzhou City.
These were not ordinary laborers.
They were skilled workers, officially registered, earning three liang of silver each month. They were considered insiders—their own people. Nearly every one of them wore a small cotton-thread image of Dao Xuan Tianzun stitched carefully over their heart.
Li Daoxuan swept his awareness across them.
One glance was enough.
Tie Niaofei was not here.
His co-sensing continued eastward.
The world suddenly darkened.
He found himself staring into a pitch-black ditch.
At the bottom lay a corpse.
On its chest—still visible despite mud and blood—was the cotton-thread image of Dao Xuan Tianzun.
Li Daoxuan's fury ignited instantly.
"Who," he said coldly,
"dares to kill my people?"
He examined the body.
A clean knife wound to the neck. Death had been swift. The body had then been tossed aside like garbage.
His vision shifted—
And more bodies came into view.
One after another, piled together in the ditch. All bore the same insignia. All were dead.
Tie Niaofei's men.
They hadn't just been attacked.
They'd been slaughtered.
Li Daoxuan forcibly suppressed the surge of killing intent in his chest and pushed his co-sensing farther east.
Several thousand meters later—
Darkness again.
This time, the darkness was enclosed.
A faint, flickering oil lamp illuminated a small space, its light barely pushing back the shadows.
Li Daoxuan understood at once.
This was a dungeon.
His awareness had locked onto the cotton-thread amulet on Tie Niaofei's chest.
The stench of blood filled the air.
Tie Niaofei lay curled on a pile of dry straw in the corner, hands shackled in iron chains. His clothes were soaked red, and dried blood crusted along his side. He was barely conscious.
Bare earthen walls. No windows.
An underground cell.
Tie Niaofei's men were dead.
Tie Niaofei himself—captured.
Li Daoxuan was just about to gently rouse him when—
Footsteps echoed.
A door creaked open.
A group entered.
At the front was a man in official robes, unmistakably a court official. Li Daoxuan didn't recognize his face—but the aura was clear.
Behind him followed two merchants, richly dressed, their expressions sharp and cold. Several guards trailed after them.
They stopped in front of Tie Niaofei.
One guard stepped forward and hurled a basin of water over him.
It was winter.
The icy splash jolted Tie Niaofei awake with a violent gasp. Water soaked his amulet, darkened his clothes, and ran into the straw beneath him.
He blinked blearily, then gave a hoarse laugh.
"Heh… Master Salt Inspector…"
"You again?"
Li Daoxuan understood immediately.
The Salt Inspector.
Not just any inspector—this could only be the Salt Inspector of the Hedong Circuit.
So that was it.
The Salt Inspector spoke, voice low and sharp:
"Speak. Why did Huang Yunfa's salt certificates end up in your hands? And who killed Huang Yunfa?"
Tie Niaofei coughed, blood flecking his lips.
"I've said it a thousand times…"
"I killed Huang Yunfa."
"I took his salt certificates."
"If you want them, just name a price…"
"There was no need… to play these games…"
"Nonsense!"
One of the merchants scoffed loudly.
"You?" he sneered. "A petty salt smuggler with a few dozen lackeys? You wouldn't last half an incense stick against our guards. And you expect us to believe you killed Huang Yunfa?"
Tie Niaofei's eyes flashed.
"Zhai Tang," he spat.
"Don't underestimate me. If you hadn't ambushed us, my men would've wiped every last one of you out."
Li Daoxuan's expression turned cold.
Zhai Tang.
A Jin merchant.
One of the Eight Great Jin Merchants—a peer of Huang Yunfa.
At that point, the full picture became clear.
They had killed Huang Yunfa, a traitor to the Ming. Tie Niaofei had seized his salt certificates and used them to legally obtain government salt, funneling it into Gao Family Village.
They had blamed Huang Yunfa's death on roaming rebels.
The cover story had held—
But not completely.
The enemy had followed the trail of the salt certificates.
And now they'd found Tie Niaofei.
Zhai Tang leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"Tell me, Tie Niaofei. Someone is backing you, isn't there? Who is it that dares oppose us Jin merchants?"
Tie Niaofei laughed weakly.
"I have no backing—except God."
"The heavens watch over me."
"You Han traitors who sell supplies to the Manchus…"
"Your wicked deeds will end in ruin."
Zhai Tang sneered.
"When did a salt smuggler become a righteous hero? You break the law for profit—don't dress it up as virtue."
Tie Niaofei snapped back:
"I may not be a good man."
"But I am not a traitor."
His gaze shifted to the Salt Inspector.
"And you?"
"You're an imperial official—yet you conspire with these Jin merchants?"
"Bah!"
"I sell salt to the Great Ming."
"You sell the country to the Manchus."
The Salt Inspector's face darkened.
He stepped forward—
And kicked Tie Niaofei hard in the stomach.
Tie Niaofei doubled over, gasping in agony, but he bit down hard, refusing to scream.
The Salt Inspector said coldly,
"This man is useless. We might as well kill him."
Zhai Tang raised a hand.
"Not yet."
He smiled thinly.
"We still don't know why he killed Huang Yunfa. If someone is targeting our salt certificates—stealing them—then there will be more moves coming."
He straightened.
"Keep him alive."
"If no one comes, he rots here."
"If someone does come…"
"We'll finally see who dares cross the Jin merchants."
The Salt Inspector frowned.
"Just don't drag me into trouble."
With that, he turned and left.
Zhai Tang crouched before Tie Niaofei, smiling faintly.
"Our patience is limited."
"Reveal who is backing you."
"I'll spare your life."
He leaned closer.
"This is my final offer."
Tie Niaofei laughed weakly.
"Zhai Tang…"
"Why don't I make you an offer instead?"
Zhai Tang stiffened.
"How do you want to die—quickly or slowly?"
"If the price is fair…"
"I might even agree to ease your suffering."
Zhai Tang shot to his feet.
Another merchant, silent until now, finally spoke calmly:
"Brother Zhai. Let's go."
"No need to waste more time."
Zhai Tang nodded stiffly.
"Brother Tian is right."
The two turned—
And left the dungeon.
Above them, unseen—
Li Daoxuan's gaze burned cold.
Someone had crossed a line.
And the bill was about to come due.