The Faith and Salt

They rode in hired palanquins to one of Yangzhou's most prominent waterfront restaurants, an establishment widely known for its food and live entertainment.

By now, the sky had darkened, leaving only the afterglow in the distance.

Stepping through the wide wooden doors, they entered a sprawling, brightly lit main hall packed with wealthy merchants.

The head host at the entrance immediately noticed Xiao Yan's filthy, weathered clothes.

A flash of clear disgust crossed the man's face.

He stepped slightly to block Xiao Yan's path, addressing Wei Yuan instead. "Lord Wei, if I may ask, who is this?"

"A very close friend of mine," Wei Yuan answered flatly.

Hearing this, the host's expression shifted instantly into a flattering smile.

"Please forgive my absolute blindness, my lord! I’m such an idiot." Turning toward the noisy hall, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Two honored guests arriving!"

A young waiter quickly rushed over from the busy stairwell, leading the two men away from the noise and up to a quiet private room on the second floor.

"Would the lords like to hire musicians for a performance?" the boy asked.

Xiao Yan shut the offer down immediately.

His mind was far too heavy to endure any kind of singing or acting right now.

Wei Yuan stepped in to order. "Just bring us the standard specialty set."

"Right away, my lords!" the boy replied.

He backed out of the room quickly, pulling the heavy wooden door shut behind him.

Left alone, the two men took their seats at the round table. Total silence settled between them once again.

What truly sickened Xiao Yan was the well spirit kept in Wei Yuan's house.

The practice was so deeply disgraceful that Xiao Yan honestly did not know how to even begin confronting him about it.

Sensing the intense hostility radiating across the table, Wei Yuan broke the silence. "I still haven't explained the well spirit to you."

"Go on."

"I know exactly what you are thinking." He took an uneasy sip of his tea. "And I have absolutely no excuse for this kind of atrocity."

"You know how bad this is," Xiao Yan said, unable to hide his raw anger. "So much for all your years reading the classics."

Wei Yuan gave a bitter nod. "Curse me all you want. I deserve it."

"I have been investigating this exact trade chain," Xiao Yan pushed on, his voice dropping low. "Every single year, those desperate villagers draw lots to murder one of their own young daughters with their own hands. And for what? Just so some high-ranking officials like you can buy a spirit to protect your secrets.

You should be completely ashamed. If we had not been friends for so long, I would arrest you right now."

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Heavy guilt washed over Wei Yuan's face. He stared down at his cup, not even daring to lift his eyes to meet Xiao Yan's gaze.

"I know absolutely nothing can justify this," Wei Yuan said. "But if you were in my shoes, you would find you had no other choice either."

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the heavy conversation.

The young waiter hurried in, carrying a large platter of whole steamed fish garnished with chopped scallions and carved radishes.

Following strict dining etiquette, the boy carefully set the plate down so the tender belly of the fish faced Wei Yuan, honoring him as the chief guest.

Next came the undeniably expensive delicacies: a shallow bowl of slow-braised abalone, a plate of premium dark sea cucumbers, and a serving of giant tiger prawns.

A wooden bucket arrived last, filled with steaming rice wrapped tightly in large lotus leaves, accompanied by a heavy ceramic jug of yellow wine.

Wei Yuan nodded his thanks to the boy. "Bring us one more jug, and just leave it outside the door."

"Right away!"

Staring down at the extravagant feast covering the entire table, Xiao Yan only shook his head.

Wei Yuan picked up the jug, pouring a cup for Xiao Yan before filling his own.

Raising his cup slightly, he offered a toast.

"To the poor souls."

Xiao Yan remained completely silent. He simply picked up the cup and threw the liquor down his throat.

Noticing the dead mood, Wei Yuan swallowed whatever else he was going to say. He did not even reach for his chopsticks.

The two men just sat there in total silence. Neither of them took a single bite.

"You know my real disappointment isn't about you," Xiao Yan finally broke the heavy silence. "I am probably just in a foul mood today. Don’t take my words to heart."

Wei Yuan gave a slow, heavy nod. "I understand. I often comfort myself by claiming that for a greater cause, some sacrifices are unavoidable. Yet I cannot forgive my own hypocrisy, because I am always sacrificing others instead of myself."

Gesturing to the table, he added, "Eat. Don't let all this good food go to waste."

They finally picked up their chopsticks, though neither man had much of an appetite.

After a short while, Wei Yuan spoke again.

"I plan to leave the city soon. I am going to inspect the Salt Rot areas personally, to document exactly how bad the situation has truly become."

Xiao Yan stared at him in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? If that map is accurate, a handful of bodyguards will never be enough to keep you alive."

"Those two foreigners managed to survive the journey all the way from Guangzhou to Yangzhou, didn’t they?" Wei Yuan replied, attempting a weak smile to lighten the mood.

"Besides, you were right. I have read the classics for years and have become a high official. If I lack the guts to go look at the truth with my own eyes, then all my reading was for absolutely nothing."

"I was only lashing out earlier," Xiao Yan said quickly. "You can serve the empire in other ways."

Wei Yuan shook his head. "As you have already seen, staying in this system leaves me completely useless. Worse, I will just end up as rotten as the rest of them. I have tried everything else. There is no other way."

His voice suddenly choked up.

"Those official reports… reading them is just… too hard."

Tears welled up in his eyes. "I cannot even imagine how many people are suffering out there right now. What right do I have to sit in this room, eating and drinking?"

Xiao Yan knew the lethal reality of the Salt Rot areas better than anyone.

Monsters operated nothing like human bandits.

They did not care about a victim's official rank, and they certainly did not care about ransom money.

But Wei Yuan had clearly made his choice. Knowing the stubborn core of his old friend, Xiao Yan realized any further persuasion would be completely useless.

A heavy sadness settled over him as the delayed realization finally hit: this would very likely be the last time they ever saw each other alive.

This was a farewell dinner.

And instead of sharing a final drink in peace, he had turned the parting into a harsh interrogation.

He absolutely hated himself for being so stupid.

Through the heavy wooden door, the faint sound of stringed instruments drifted into the room.

Someone outside was playing the zither, singing the farewell song, Three Refrains on the Yang Pass Theme.

The melody was slow and bitterly sad.

This song struck a deep nerve in both of them. Without a word, they quietly joined in the singing.

"Morning rain washes the light dust away,

Green willows by the tavern look so fresh today..."

Pouring cup after cup, they sang and drank.

Xiao Yan felt a sharp burn in his eyes, his vision blurring.

"Drink this last cup of parting wine before you go,

For heading west, you'll meet no old friends that you know."

Their voices growing hoarse, Xiao Yan silently slipped a folded paper talisman into the inner pocket of Wei Yuan's outer coat.

"Drink this last cup of parting wine before you go...

For heading west, you'll meet no old friends that you know—"