"Here's what happened, sir. Yesterday, the first thing I did after arriving at the orchard was count the spirit fruits, only to discover that one was missing. It had been plucked no more than an hour earlier. I was just fretting over it when the Chief Steward and his entourage arrived nearby. There was no time to investigate the truth before what happened next unfolded — you witnessed the rest yourself, sir. I very nearly met a terrible end."
Du Rufang narrowed his eyes, a faint glint of cold light flickering within those slender slits. "You're saying this is related to Zhou Zheng?"
"Before it can be verified, your humble disciple wouldn't dare make reckless judgments. Please, Lord Du — just watch a good show!"
"A good show?"
…
A stick of incense later, in another orchard, Yang Kai descended from the air and landed directly in front of two people.
Their reactions were diametrically opposite. One rushed forward with joy written all over his face, while the other's expression shifted subtly as he took a step back, his gaze toward Yang Kai filled with alarm and bewilderment.
"Brother, are you all right?" Old Fang looked Yang Kai up and down.
Yang Kai ignored him, fixing his stare straight on Xiang Yong. "Nothing to worry about — a close call, that's all. Didn't I already send you a message about it?"
Old Fang said, "Hard to rest easy without seeing it with my own eyes. But now that you're here and in one piece, I've got nothing left to worry about." He paused. "Brother, did you come over because something's up?"
Yang Kai grinned. "Can't I come see you without a reason?"
"Come see me?" Old Fang was taken aback. If you're here to see me, why haven't you taken your eyes off Xiang Yong? Instinct told him there was something going on between these two. He turned to look at Xiang Yong and sure enough — something was wrong. The fellow was avoiding eye contact, his face oozing guilt, though nobody could tell what for.
"Brother Xiang, it's only been a few days — why so distant?" Yang Kai said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Xiang Yong's face darkened. "Since when were we close? If we're not close, what's this about being distant?"
"Well, you have a point. You and I really aren't that close yet. But tell me, Brother Xiang — why were you so surprised to see me today?"
"What surprise? Where was there any surprise!" Xiang Yong waved his hand and snapped, "My eyes just happen to be naturally large, that's all!"
"Is that so?" Yang Kai chuckled. "I'll have you know, Brother Xiang, that the Chief Steward visited my place yesterday and inspected my orchard."
Xiang Yong's eyes bulged. "The Chief Steward went over there?"
"Brother Xiang, you seem awfully concerned about me!"
"Why would I be concerned about you! I just asked casually — take it or leave it!" Xiang Yong snorted coldly, flopped down onto the ground, leaned his back against a fruit tree, folded his arms, and turned to the side, pretending to be asleep.
"The Chief Steward really went to your orchard?" Old Fang's face was tight with worry. Having the Chief Steward come inspect was never good news. Looking after the orchard was the workers' duty — do it well and there was no reward, but let something slip and punishment was guaranteed. No menial worker wanted the Chief Steward visiting their territory; they'd all rather he just glanced down from midair and moved on. But every time the Chief Steward did a proper inspection, someone inevitably ended up in trouble. Yang Kai really had drawn the short straw — hundreds of workers in the orchard, and the Chief Steward just had to pick his place. Even if nothing was actually wrong, they'd find something to fault him for. "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"I very nearly wouldn't be able to see you again, old brother." Yang Kai let out a long sigh, his face a mask of lingering fear.
Old Fang jumped. "What happened? How could it be that serious?"
Yang Kai said gravely, "A Fire Spirit Fruit went missing from my orchard."
Old Fang's face drained of color in an instant. "Brother, that's not a joke you can make! People die over this! You're new here — I told you plenty about the orchard's rules, but you probably haven't grasped the severity of losing a spirit fruit. Let me put it this way: our lives as workers aren't worth more than a single spirit fruit!"
"I know, I know." Yang Kai nodded repeatedly. "Losing a spirit fruit is a grave offense! The Chief Steward was going to seize me on the spot, and even Lord Du stepping in to plead on my behalf was useless."
"Then how did you—" Old Fang was baffled. If even Du Rufang's intervention couldn't help, how was Yang Kai still standing here in one piece? What had happened after?
Yang Kai grinned and pointed up at the great beast perched on his head. "At the last moment, the Great General came through. It actually spat out a fruit pit from its mouth, and just like that — the truth came to light."
Old Fang blinked, putting it together. "So you're saying the Great General ate that spirit fruit?"
"Exactly! How else could a fruit vanish from the orchard out of nowhere? And who else would have the guts to steal one?"
"You nearly scared this old man to death!" Old Fang let out a long, relieved breath. Even knowing that Yang Kai standing here meant everything had worked out, hearing the whole story had still made his heart race.
"Why would the Great General do something like that!" Old Fang stared up at the beast on Yang Kai's head in bewilderment.
"How should I know? Maybe it got a craving from eating too many bugs. But though the whole mess started because of the Great General, in the end it was also thanks to it that I turned danger into safety. I really should thank the old fellow. Old Fang, do you have any Jade Fire Silkworms here?"
"A few, not many."
"Bring them all!"