A master of metaphysics is farming.

The two stood at the bow of the cargo ship. The wind on the river was cold, and Xiang He wrapped his cloak tightly around himself and hugged his arms.

The scenery on the river was unremarkable; the afternoon sun was hiding behind the clouds, and the gloomy weather made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

All that could be seen was water, with the two banks far apart. To get to the other side, one had to cross a bridge or take a boat. After such a long delay, it was no wonder the people were complaining bitterly.

Despite the cold wind blowing across her cheeks, Xiang He sniffed, "She doesn't seem to have any problems..."

He Suian noticed her subtle movements and frowned slightly. "Cold?"

"It's alright," he said, raising his hand to rub the tip of his nose. "If there's nothing seriously wrong under the bridge, what do you think could be the reason?"

"You've already guessed it, why bother saying it outright?"

With his eyes sparkling with the shimmering light on the river's surface, he draped a heavy coat over his shoulders, turned his head towards He, and He Sui'an gave him his coat.

Xiang He didn't refuse, but pulled her coat tighter. "Aren't you cold?"

"not cold."

Since he had said that, Xiang He didn't argue. It wouldn't be good if she caught a cold, as it would make her mind unclear and delay her trip.

My gaze fell on the river again. The cargo ship was moving quite fast, and the bridge was already in sight.

The bridge was made of wood, and it looked like it had been built a long time ago. When the boat got under the bridge, you could see that the material was yellowish-black where it passed over the water. Two of the lowest supporting beams were broken, so it was clear that it was still new wood.

The three looked up and saw that, apart from the lowest supporting beam, the other beams were still intact.

Looking down at the water's surface, he saw ripples spreading out in circles. Apart from the noise from the boats and the commotion from the people on the bridge and the shore, there was nothing unusual.

Xiang He placed his hands on the boat's hull, stood on tiptoe, and continued to stare, looking at the water and then at the bridge, repeating this several times. Finally, he raised his hand and furrowed his brow to relieve his fatigue.

He Sui'an, who was standing nearby, kept a close eye on her. "Is there a problem?"

“It’s precisely because there’s no problem that there’s a problem…” Xiang He exhaled softly, “How long has this bridge been under construction? Did anyone die during its construction?”

The questions made He Suian worry as well. "I remember it's only been three years, and there haven't been any reports of civilian casualties."

"Only three years? Bridge timber is usually treated with anti-corrosion measures, how can it be so severely corroded in just three years?"

The beams that supported the water were clearly severely corroded.

"Preservation? Or prevention of decay?"

Xiang He nodded slightly and said, "Wooden bridges usually need to be inspected regularly to repair any damage. With this level of decay, the bridge should be closed for repairs as soon as possible, right?"

As she recounted her story, He Sui'an's brow remained furrowed. "The bridge needs repairs three times a year, and the government funds are allocated annually. If the government fails to do so..."

Xiang He's eyes flickered; the implication was crystal clear.

She rested her hands on the boat's hull, her chin on the back of her hands, "I knew it, you definitely had an ulterior motive..."

If it's a problem with the government, then it's a crime of corruption, which is the purpose of He Suian's trip.

Hearing her mutter complaints under her breath, He Sui'an just smiled and said, "Anyway, we've been here, so what's wrong with coming to take a look?"

"Your purpose isn't just to take a look; hiding things from me isn't very nice of you~"

She had already considered He Suian her friend, and now she didn't even address him as "sir" with the most polite form. She never expected him to act so mysterious in front of her.

Now that things have come to this point, it would seem awkward for He Sui'an not to be honest.

He turned to face Xiang He and said solemnly, "As I just said, the purpose of my trip is to investigate the corruption of government officials."

Seeing his serious expression, Xiang He straightened up and said, "What will happen when they find out about you? You don't have the real power to convict someone. Even if you report to the prefectural government, it will take some time. How long do you want to stay in Liangcheng?"

“It won’t take long,” his deep eyes dimmed, “As long as we find a clue, it will be to my advantage.”

"Okay, so what should we do next?"

He Suian bent down and picked up the large umbrella at her feet, then turned to lead her to the other side. A cargo ship was passing by not far away, and upon closer inspection, she saw Xing Ji already talking to the boatman.

She glanced at the distance between the two boats, which was at least ten feet apart, and suddenly remembered the incident of her raiding the county government office that night.

"By the way, if you know light-footed kung fu, why did you still get injured and fall off the cliff?"

I've seen him demonstrate his skills. Although he's not a master like Xing Ji, his fist and foot techniques are still top-notch. How did he suddenly fall off the cliff? Where was Xing Ji at that time?

When asked about this, He Sui'an did not intend to hide it, saying, "I was being chased at the time, and I slipped and fell. The stone wall was slippery and I couldn't get down."

Xiang He was speechless for a moment. The chase had even reached the back mountain of her house. She felt that there was some unknown secret behind it.

He simply didn't intend to tell her, so Xiang He didn't ask. During the time she spent traveling with him, she would eventually find out the secret.

Seeing her remain silent, He Sui'an said "Excuse me," wrapped his arm around her waist, easily lifted her up, and leaped into the air with a powerful kick, causing the people on the boat to gasp in surprise.

This was the first time Xiang He had ever been carried by someone. She wrapped her left arm around his neck and looked around curiously. "This kung fu is so much fun!"

After a short while, their feet touched the ground, and the two immediately separated. He Sui'an handed her the large umbrella.

Xiang He straightened her clothes, wrapped her coat tighter around herself, and took the large umbrella. "Where are we going after we get back?"

"Eavesdropping."

"..."

Her lips twitched a few times as she shifted her gaze to He. "You're actually getting hooked on this?"

Seeing her gaze, He Sui'an glanced at her indifferently, "Some things are more convenient to do at night."

I agree with that.

The two found a secluded spot to stand until the large ship docked again. The three of them then disembarked and headed straight for the inn.

Aside from markets and docks, the only places where people gather are inns.

The two deliberately chose a less conspicuous spot to sit down. Xiang He looked around and finally understood why he had chosen this inn.

Most of the guests staying at this inn are traveling merchants. The three guests at the next table had just disembarked from a cargo ship. They had simple luggage and seemed to travel by boat frequently.

Two ounces of light wine were served, and once the body felt warm, they started chatting non-stop.

Xiang He listened intently, while also picking up food with her chopsticks. After listening for a while, they still hadn't gotten to the point, and Xiang He was getting a little impatient.

The moment her brow furrowed caught He Sui'an's eye, and she put a piece of meat in her bowl. "Don't be so nervous, it's just a meal."

As soon as he finished speaking, an older man blushed, slammed his hand on the table, and clicked his tongue heavily, saying, "That bridge is such a pain! It's cost my pleasure boat so much money!"

Another person chimed in, "It's been over half a month! They only did repairs for a few days, and then there was no further news. Are they even going to fix it or not!"

Just then, the waiter brought over some warm wine. With his sly eyes making sure the innkeeper hadn't looked, he whispered, "That bridge is under repair every so often; it's no wonder it's broken!"

"And I heard that the person who fell into the river that day became a vengeful ghost and won't let the bridge be repaired!"

"Nonsense! It's not that weird."

The man who had started pouting raised his index finger and said, "Don't disbelieve me. You see, after it broke several times, the government hasn't sent anyone down to do anything. Maybe there really is something going on!"

Listening to their voices, which were sometimes loud and sometimes soft, Xiang He swallowed the last mouthful of rice. "I can't feel any yin energy there, but it's been raining a lot lately, so it might be covered up by the earth's energy."

Rainwater flows through the churning river, washing over everything and exuding a vibrant, life-giving energy.

"I'll ask Erxia to go check it out tonight, so we can let you know immediately if we find anything."

Hearing her call him a ghost, a truly casual name, He Sui'an took her empty bowl and ladled out a bowl of warm soup for her.

"You've gotten quite used to them."

"More useful than a person."