17. The smugglers cave

The next day the party found their way to the inn in the border town where Xin was already waiting next to two Mingjing Office guards. "Good day miss Tong." Pei said when he had dismounted, next to him his brother extended the same greeting, but he extended it with: "It is good to see you hale and whole." Xin smiled: "I did say I would be able to get home on my own." As Su was still in conversation with the guards and Pei joined her, Zhu motioned to a bench where he and Xin sat down. "Don't you need to arrange rooms?" Xin asked, Zhu shook his head: "Xie Beiming and Fei Yuan are doing that. In a while we will be able to leave to search the cabins."

"I see you didn't take the soldiers with you."

"The guards of Mingjing Office are joining us, besides both my brother and Xie are excellent warriors. Even Su and Rushuang can wield a sword and defend themselves." Zhu explained, looking at Xin, taking in her appearance, her beautiful dark brown eyes and simply braided black hair. Her mouth was now slowly forming a smile: "And you, are you a trained warrior?"

"Yes, I was trained with my brother, but Zhao was always the best warrior." This seemed to fulfill Xin's curiosity and she fell silent, looking around her. Zhu followed her gaze: first to Su and Pei with the Mingjing Office guards, then to the horses that were tied to some poles in front of the inn, after that she looked out over the court yard stretching before them, which was very lively as there was a market. Zhu saw Rushuang walk past several stalls talking to the people of the town. Finally back to the horses, Zhu looked to his side and saw some trepidation in Xin's eyes. "Miss Tong, have you ever ridden a horse before?" Xin looked up at him and shook her head. "My mother and I always travel in the carriage."

"Do you travel often?"

"Yes, my family owns a small mine, where we mine metals. My father is a tradesman, he has business with Liang and Beirong. So I have traveled to the capital and some larger towns here and in Beirong…Are you planning on riding with horses?" She then asked, clearly unsure and maybe a bit anxious. "Yes, we thought to take the horses down the main path to a cabin near a waterfall and then continue on foot. If time allows Su would like to visit the cave as well, which Xie was very excited over." Zhu chuckled thinking about Xie. Pei and Su had explained their plans during breakfast. The marquis had told them that the following days the border town would be crowded as a large annual market attracted merchants from Beirong and Liang to gather and do business. Rushuang had been very enthusiastic about this and announced she wished to visit the market, she had managed to instill some enthusiasm in Su as well, who had said she would be glad to accompany Rushuang to the market. Zhu remembered the look Xie and Pei had exchanged. "Does your father have a market stall here?" Zhu asked, pointing to the market. "No, his wares are more intended for the industry. My mother does have some necklaces, armbraces and jewelry she'll sell on the market. One part of our mine has some gems which she uses to make jewelry with. My father will meet several of our clients at our home. For trade this is one of the most important times in the year. I'll be helping my mother these days, we'll close the stall when my father needs us to entertain guests."

"How is the trade going?" Zhu saw some surprise in Xin's eyes as she looked at him. "My family ins in trade as well, but on the other side of the country." Zhu continued to give her an explanation for his interest. "But wouldn't you prefer to talk to my father about the trade?" Xin asked. Zhu smiled to himself: "Why? You told me you help your father and your mother in their trades. Surely you must have an idea about how the trade is going." He challenged her. Xin considered this and then said: "No one has ever asked about my ideas on the trade. They ask me about caring for the small children in the village, helping at the school or help with caring for the sick and elderly."

"Those are indeed respectful ways to spend your time for a young maiden." Zhu said. "I would still like to know what you think about the trade, but as I see my brother approaching, perhaps we can discuss it during our ride." Xin looked around and saw Pei walking towards them. Zhu browsed the surroundings and saw Su approach Rushuang, Xie, Fei Yuan and commander Fu were already preparing the horses. Zhu rose and turned to Zin, who had also risen. "As you have never ridden before, you will ride with me. Though my brother is the better warrior of us two, I am the better horseman. I'll keep you safe."

"The better horseman? I believe I won our last contest my brother." Pei responded, laughing. Zhu looked appalled. "That was pure luck, my horse had never contested before. You cannot be best in everything. Even father acknowledged that when it came to riding I was the better." Pei merely laughed and said: "Alright. Miss Tong, you could not be in safer hands then with my brother. He truly is the best horseman in the empire. Come, we are ready to go and my wife and Lady Xie are eager to explore the market, but they can only do so when our work here is done." Xin inclined her head and followed the two brothers. Soon they were on their way.

The cabins they inspected didn't have any clues about Li Yu, so after they had closed the last cabin and saw there was enough time, the party walked up to the mountain path. Zihou noted that the path was very well hidden. "Where is the mountain Fortress?" he asked. Pei looked up at the mountain: "It should be…" he pointed to a spot high up the mountain, where a small triangle was still visible. "…there." Zihou checked Pei's indicated spot. "You're not able to see this path from up there. It's perfect for smuggling or sneaking someone over the border." Pei nodded, it was an observation he had already made. "When we get back to the general I'll see what used to be done to watch this path. The soldiers already knew it, so they know it exists." The group climbed on, on occasion Pei and Xie had to help Su and Rushuang. It did not remain unnoticed by Pei or Su that Zhu helped Xin on those occasions, he made sure he was always walking close to her. Pei and Su exchanged a glance after a particular rough point where Zhu once again extended his hand to help Xin. Pei raised his eyebrow and Su shrugged. "Brother Xie." Xin called out to Xie. "You should see the cave on your left hand at any moment now." Xie raised his hand to acknowledge her and Zihou walked up to the front. Both men drew their swords and took a torch in their other hands. "Fei Yuan take care of Rushuang. Zihou and I will go in first, if it's clear we'll call out to you. I think I can see the cave." Xie said, quickening his stride. He and Zihou disappeared into the mountain and after a few moments they gave the signal that the cave was clear. The others came in, Zihou had lit the torches that were hung on the walls of the cave. Su stepped in first, quickly assessing her surrounding: there were a few beds against one wall. There were some chairs, a table with some candles and two large chests in the cave, nothing else. As there was only a thin layer of dust Su said: "It appears that this cave has been used recently."

"But by who and why?" Rushuang asked, as she let her fingers slide over the table. Su shook her head: "I have no idea." It was Pei who walked to the chests to open them. One held blankets and pillows, the other held clothing, men's and women's clothing. Taking some of the women's clothes out and holding them up for Su, Pei said: "Could this have been Yu Li's clothing?"

"I don't know. She was trying to flee, to stay alive. I would think she might steal clothes and often replaces them." Su took the clothes Pei had held out to her. Rushuang knelt down next to the open chest and took out the other items in the chest. More clothing, a bag, a waterbag, two daggers and a purse with money. "This could be stored here as provisions, to take with you if you had need for them." Pei commented as he held one of the daggers. Suddenly they heard the sound of metal hitting the ground. Pei and Su turned to Rushuang, who had unfolded the woman's dresses. "There was something in it." She elaborated, looking down. There on the ground laid a medal with the name Yu Li on it. Tentatively Rushuang picked it up and turned it around for the others to see. The others all stepped closer. "It's the same sign we found in Beishun town and from that man who had broken into the room of princess Yunchuan." Pei said, he turned to Zihou: "Zihou, have you seen it before?"

"No, it still does not look familiar." Pei turned to his brother. "Zhu, have you seen it before?" Also Zhu shook his head. Rushuang took a longer look at the sign: "I don't understand, wouldn't Li Yu carry the sign of Prince Yun?"

"As Prince Yun was a rebel and has died his sign was taken down." Pei explained quickly: "No one can wear that sign again."

"Oh." Rushuang gave the medal to Su. "Well at least we know some of the clothes here were with Li Yu. I don't think she has been in the cave though. Maybe the one who killed her was the one she expected to help her over the mountain. Unless we find the assassin it will remain conjecture, but there are no other leads we could follow." Su took another look around and then continued: "There is nothing here that could help us right now. Let's return to the town." The group placed the clothing back in the chests and extinguished the torches. When everybody was outside Xie looked out over the path. "Brother Pei, there is still some time. Perhaps we can climb on for a bit, to see if we can find the place where a portion of the mountain had collapsed? " Pei followed Xie's gaze, but then he looked at Su, Rushuang and Xin. "No, we can do that another time or we can ask the guards to find out." Even though he would have liked to climb on Xie understood and took Rushuang's hand to help her down the climb. It was quite a long walk back to the horses. As always Pei and Su held hands, preferring the direct contact to the more traditional woman's hand in the crook of the husband's elbow. After a while, Pei wasn't paying much attention, as he was paying attention to the couple walking in front of him, Zu and Xin, who weren't touching, but seemed to be having a nice discussion, Pei felt Su place her hand on his arm. In response he bent it, so she would have some more stability and could lean a bit more, which to his surprise she did. He placed his hand over hers, grasping it a little bit and giving it a comforting squeeze. He looked at her, she didn't look up to his face, so he asked her: "Are you alright?" Su nodded, looking up: "Yes, it's been a long day, I'm just a little tired."

"Hmm." Pei nodded reassuringly. They reached the town just in time for dinner.