Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 72.3 The Hero Rescues The Beauty

Lin Yan entered slowly. "What do you want?"

"I simply request that the Deputy Magistrate write a warrant allowing my people to infiltrate the prison to visit our old friends," the leader stated. The Taoist priests involved in the crime were currently being interrogated by the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Court of Judicial Review, and the city's government repository. For convenience, the suspects were held in the government repository’s jail cells.

"Rest assured, Deputy Magistrate," he continued. "We merely need to exchange a few words with them, and your people can accompany us if you wish."

Lin Yan looked at the leader and nodded. "Ok."

The leader, surprised by the ease with which the high-ranking official in scarlet robes agreed, raised an eyebrow in mild astonishment.

"Anything else?" Lin Yan asked calmly.

"The only thing left to ask is for the Deputy Magistrate to facilitate our departure from the city," the leader continued. "I will naturally release this Miss once we're safely out."

Lin Yan glanced at Shen Shaoguang.

Shen Shaoguang, unsure of Lin Yan's intentions, put on a melancholy expression and cried out, "Sir Yan… I'm scared—"

Though Lin Yan knew she was acting, a pang of concern gripped his heart.

Lin Yan looked at Shen Shaoguang deeply and sighed, as if pained by their separation. "Why make things difficult for a young woman, especially in such a state?" He glanced at the man with the head injury. "Can you even make it out of the city with him?"

The leader frowned, realizing the challenge of transporting their injured companion. He had considered leaving him behind, but taking him would be preferable.

"How about I take her place?" Lin Yan suggested. "There is no court meeting tomorrow, so I will personally escort you out of the city."

The leader was genuinely shocked this time. Both chamberlains also glanced at their master in surprise, and even Shen Shaoguang was momentarily stunned. Yu San, looking at Lin Yan, pursed his lips and tightened his grip on the butcher knife, while A’Yuan kept her focus on the arm holding Shen Shaoguang in a headlock.

Lin Yan frowned slightly, displaying the impatience of someone accustomed to command. "Well? What do you say?"

The leader sensed there might be a trick, but the temptation was too great to resist. Holding Deputy Magistrate Lin captive could grant them significant leverage.

With no time for further deliberation, the leader gritted his teeth and spat out, "Okay! Take off your sword!"

Lin Yan was wearing his official uniform today, paired with an Official’s Sword that matched his official rank— the Official’s Sword was made for ceremonial purposes, and many of them had never even been unsheathed. 

He removed the sword and tossed it casually at his feet, then slowly walked towards the assailants. "Let her go," he commanded.

The leader forcefully pushed Shen Shaoguang away, while the aquiline-nosed man pushed her towards the other side. Meanwhile, the leader aimed his longsword at Lin Yan, while the remaining evildoer remained vigilant against the others.

Unexpectedly, as Lin Yan and Shen crossed paths, Shen Shaoguang stumbled and fell into Lin Yan's arms, sobbing out, "Sir Yan——"

Though there was a fragrant beauty in his embrace, Lin Yan quickly noticed something additional in his hand—a slender, sharp object, about six centimeters long and one and a half centimeters wide.

Meanwhile, the aquiline-nosed man pointed his sword at Shen Shaoguang, issuing a stern warning, "Get moving!"

Lin Yan cast a commanding glance at the aquiline-nosed man. Despite the criminal's desperation, he instinctively yielded to Lin Yan's imposing presence. Slightly relenting, the aquiline-nosed man withdrew his sword as Lin Yan uttered softly, "Go."

Shen Shaoguang nodded and made her way towards Yu San.

Yu San swiftly pulled her behind him, shielding her, as the sword of the leader pressed against Lin Yan's neck.

Lin Yan regarded the sword pressed against his neck with apparent indifference and calmly took a seat.

Observing Lin Yan's relaxed posture, the leader breathed a sigh of relief. To most fighters, sitting was a non-threatening position.

There was paper and pen on the table that had been prepared for Shen Shaoguang prior to his arrival, Lin Yan reached for them and began writing directly.

In a matter of moments, Lin Yan penned a mere dozen words on the paper. He then lifted the corner of the sheet and directed his gaze towards the leader. "Take this and accompany my chamberlain, Liu Chang, to the prison. Keep your words at a minimum."

The leader's expression lit up with delight as he leaned down to retrieve the paper. A smile fixed on his face while the blood from his neck sprayed on the table, the writing paper, and Lin Yan's body.

The sudden turn of events startled the aquiline-nosed man, who had been on guard. With a swift motion, he raised his sword, poised to strike at Lin Yan. Sensing the imminent danger, Lin Yan rolled aside, hurling the bloodied blade at the aquiline-nosed man before swiftly withdrawing a dagger from his boot.

Lin Yan's two chamberlains sprang into action, brandishing their swords as they joined the fray.

Meanwhile, Yu San, A’Yuan, and A’Chang shielded Shen Shaoguang as they cautiously made their way outside, retreating from the escalating conflict.

The reinforcements, alerted by the coachman who had returned to the government repository, swiftly arrived on the scene.

As it happened, there had been a grand banquet at the imperial palace that evening. After the festivities, Lin Yan proceeded to the government repository to attend to his duties before finally making his way back. While seated in his carriage on the journey home, he passed by Shen Indelible’s doorsteps. Despite the light rainfall and the building illuminated by lights, every window and door was closed shut. This caused Lin Yan to wonder, 'She always harbors animosity towards the heat. Why didn't she take the opportunity to let in some fresh air and cool down?'

Haunted by the case of the malicious prophetic remarks, Lin Yan felt a sense of unease gnawing at him. Thus, he decided to alight from the carriage and knock on the doors of the tavern. Upon hearing that she was purportedly 'praying for the Cowherd and Weaver Girl', he quickly discerned that something was amiss. Knowing her vehement desire to punish the Cowherd until he cried for his mother, he found it inconceivable that she would pray for them.

The guards from the Patrol Station, who were on night watch in the Lane, hurried over upon hearing the commotion. Due to the downpour, their patrols had been less frequent, but they never anticipated an incident to occur during their moment of indigence. Upon glimpsing the government repository's command token, the Lane Guards fell silent, gripped by fear and uncertainty, unsure of what had transpired.

Lin Yan wiped the blood from the dagger with a handkerchief before lifting the curtain and stepping out of the tavern. He cast a brief glance at Shen Shaoguang, who was being attended to by Yu San and the others, before turning back to give orders.

He instructed his chamberlains to escort the two captives into a waiting carriage, requested for the bodies of the deceased to be removed, and then directed the Lane Guards to be reprimanded and briefed on the situation.

After issuing all the necessary orders, Lin Yan approached Shen Shaoguang. The dim light from the lanterns under the eaves illuminated her face, revealing a slight pallor and disheveled hair around her temples. Her slender shoulders and delicate waist made her appear fragile, especially amidst the autumn night's wind and rain, lending her a pitiable air.

Lin Yan resisted the strong urge to hold her in his arms. This bright, beautiful, and even somewhat domineering lady had endured so much because of him today. If he had arrived just a moment later... Lin Yan couldn't bear to dwell on the thought.

"I..." Lin Yan began, but words failed him. He could craft thousands of essays on current affairs for the emperor and debate in court with logic and evidence, yet he found himself speechless before his beloved.

Shen Shaoguang, however, spoke with serious intent. "These evildoers carry the scent of incense, candles, and joss paper. It's likely they've had long-term contact with a Taoist Temple. Since they've been in hiding these past few days and haven't changed their clothes, the smell has lingered on them. Additionally, they also carry the odor of cured and pickled goods..."

A good cook usually had a keen sense of smell. Shen Shaoguang, though resigned about her culinary skills, prided herself on her sharp nose.  However, the scents clinging to these evildoers were overwhelmingly mixed. The pungent odor of sweat mingled with the dampness of rain had initially masked everything else. It was only when she stood under the veranda, reflecting carefully, that she managed to distinguish the two most significant smells.

Lin Yan quickly grasped the essence of her observation. "Cured and pickled goods?" Ordinary people don't stockpile many pickled goods during the summer or autumn seasons, unless...

Shen Shaoguang nodded. "We have quite a few in our store." Of course, their hiding places over the past few days could also be the cellars of dignitaries who pay particular attention to their food and drink. She trusted that Deputy Magistrate Lin would arrive at the same conclusion.

Shen Shaoguang continued, addressing another suspicious detail. "One of the evildoers wanted to order 'Shredded Eel in Vinegar.' This is a home-cooked dish from the lanes of North City. It's not widely known, but people in North City often eat it in summer." This was mentioned in Senior Buddhist Nun Yuanjue's <The Classic of Noodle>, it described the practice of cooking eel strips in vinegar to use as a topping for wheat noodle cold wash.

"When I said I didn’t know how to make it, the bearded leader seemed to breathe a sigh of relief." 

……

Shen Shaoguang shared all her suspicions about the evildoers with Lin Yan. 

As he listened to her clear and methodical narration and looked into her eyes, which shone as brightly as morning stars, Lin Yan couldn't help but smile. His heart swelled with admiration. My A’Ji ah. Even on such a stormy autumn night, she remains as magnificent as the scenery of spring.

Lin Yan planned to interrogate the criminals that very night. The chamberlains had already loaded the criminals and the body into the carriage, ready to depart.

He turned to Shen Shaoguang and said, "Be careful these days. I will leave a few bodyguards for you."

Shen Shaoguang instinctively wanted to refuse.

Lin Yan gently but firmly said, "Be obedient!"

She looked up, meeting his worried gaze, and finally nodded.

Lin Yan glanced at Yu San and the others nearby before turning back to Shen Shaoguang. "I'll be going now," he said.

Shen Shaoguang stood quietly and watched him walk away. Though he was on the thin side and might typically be considered fresh and elegant, his tall stature, broad shoulders, and unyielding, upright demeanor made him seem capable of bearing the weight of the night, wind, and rain on his shoulders as he departed.

Shen Shaoguang suddenly felt a pang of reluctance but couldn't help but laugh at herself. No wonder the trope of the hero saving the beauty was a classic; indeed, the saying 'from time immemorial, only strategies can win hearts[1]' held true... She found herself yearning to give her heart to him, consequences be damned.

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The author has something to say:

Lin Yan five minutes ago: My A’Ji is small and weak, helpless and pitiful. I really want to hug her...

Lin Yan five minutes later: Oh, my A’Ji is still so valiant (slowly retracts his hands)

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Footnote:

[1] from time immemorial, only strategies can win hearts - The full saying goes ‘自古族友深情留不住，唯有套路得人心’. It’s basically saying ‘ancient times, deep emotions alone have not been enough to keep people; only by displaying their skills, can one conquer and win hearts.’ In other words, those who are sincere and genuine are often not valued, while those who act with calculated, slick strategies are more likely to win people's hearts.