The first real "Law job" came sooner than Xiao‑lan expected.
She was halfway through copying a page titled "On the Binding of Trade Oaths Between Minor Clans" when Elder Wei slapped another scroll down beside her.
"Field work," he grunted.
She blinked. "Outside?"
"In the nice safe part of 'outside,'" he said. "Law Hall received a complaint. A merchant accuses one of our outer disciples of cheating in a spirit‑beast sale. Hua‑elder is annoyed. Annoyed elders send work. We get to untangle ink before Punishment Hall untangles bone."
He eyed her. "You come. Carry papers. Watch."
"Talk?" she asked hopefully.
"Only if asked," he said. "You are a broom with eyes."
"Sharp eyes," she said.
"Then sweep well," he sniffed.
The dispute played out in a side courtyard near the sect's Beast Pavilions.
On one side stood a round merchant in embroidered brown, sweat beading under his hat. On the other, a lean outer disciple in Azure robes with a Beast Hall badge on his chest.
Between them, a cage held a restless, fox‑like spirit‑beast with two tails.
"This was supposed to be bound to me," the merchant spluttered. "Your disciple here promised obedience! I take him down the road—he bites my guards and runs!"
The disciple ground his teeth. "The beast obeyed here. If it broke the contract after leaving our wards, that is not my fault."
Hua‑elder sat serenely at a low table, long white hair braided tight. Zhou Yuan stood behind her, brush poised over a record slate.
Wei and Xiao‑lan took seats slightly to the side.
Hua gestured.
"The contract," she said.
The merchant thrust a scroll at her.
"Here! Signed with our blood! I demand compensation."
The disciple flinched.
Hua unrolled the scroll.
Xiao‑lan felt it before she read a word.
A subtle wrongness crept off the ink.
Not full hunger.
A…copy.
Her System's panel flashed.
[CONTRACT SCAN]
Type: Spirit‑Beast Sale
Script: Standard Azure‑Town Template (Modified)
Anomaly: Clause 7 – "Obedience Duration" altered with foreign ink (scent: mild demonic).
Hua's brows rose a millimeter.
She had felt it too.
"Clause seven," she murmured, tapping the page. "Read."
The disciple swallowed.
"'Beast shall obey purchaser for seven days within sect bounds,'" he recited. "Then…'for two days beyond'…" His voice faltered. "That's not what we wrote."
The merchant's eyes widened theatrically. "You try to change the oath after—"
"Silence," Hua said mildly.
Silence slammed down.
She turned the scroll toward Wei.
"Old man," she asked, "your opinion?"
Wei leaned forward.
He sniffed.
"Two inks," he said. "Base strokes Azure‑mixed. Overstrokes…muddy. Sloppy. Whoever altered this did so after initial signing. Probably with beast‑blood tincture."
The merchant flushed.
"Why would I—"
"You?" Hua arched a brow. "You brought the complaint. 'Why would I stab myself?' is exactly what one thief says when he forgets other knives exist."
Zhou Yuan's mouth twitched.
Xiao‑lan's fingers itched.
The Oath‑Tide Sutra whispered.
Where many hands have touched a promise, there truth may be teased.
Suggestion:
Use [Silent Witness Seal] to tag future statements. Observe contradictions.
She breathed slowly.
Watched.
"Disciple Han," Hua said to the Beast Hall youth, "explain how contracts are stored."
He cleared his throat. "We write two copies. One kept in Beast Hall records, one given to client. Both signed in blood."
"And your copy?" she asked.
He grimaced. "Intact. I checked. Clause seven reads 'seven days within sect bounds.' No external."
"Zhou," Hua said. "Fetch it."
Zhou darted away.
Wei scribbled something in his own notebook.
The merchant huffed.
"Of course your copy says what you like," he muttered.
"You had opportunity to alter yours," Wei countered. "Ours are warded."
Xiao‑lan spoke before she could stop herself.
"But he also had motive," she said.
The courtyard stilled.
Wei sighed.
"So much for 'just watch,'" he muttered.
Hua's gaze slid to Xiao‑lan.
"Archive rat," she said. "Explain."
Xiao‑lan swallowed.
"If the beast truly obeyed here, the disciple had no reason to change the contract," she said slowly. "He already had your protection. But if the buyer worried the beast might break away after leaving wards, he might…add days himself. To pressure compensation if it failed."
The merchant bristled.
"Outrageous!" he cried. "Why would I risk backlash altering a sect scroll?"
"Because you thought we wouldn't notice," Hua said, voice still mild.
Zhou returned, panting, with the Beast Hall's copy.
She unrolled it.
Clause seven: neat Azure ink, no muddy traces.
"Compare," she said, placing them side by side.
Even untrained eyes could see the difference in strokes where "two days beyond" had been squeezed in on the merchant's copy.
Hua tapped the altered line.
"Merchant Ren," she said. "Did you write this?"
His face went blotchy.
"Of course not!" he sputtered. "Your disciple—"
Wei lifted a finger.
"Lie," he said.
Hua's qi sharpened.
Xiao‑lan's System chimed.
Opportunity:
Apply minor [Knot of Speaking Twice] to confirm.
She inhaled.
"Merchant Ren," she said, affecting innocence, "if you didn't change it, would you say so again? Clearer? 'I did not alter this contract after signing.' Loud enough for the stone to hear."
He sneered.
"I did not alter this contract after signing," he said loudly.
The loop left his mouth.
She snagged it.
Wove a quick, tight knot.
[Knot – Lv.1] Applied.
Target: Merchant Ren.
Clause: "I did not alter this contract after signing."
Feedback: Moderate (due to blatant falsehood).
Pain lanced the man's head.
He yelped, clutching his temples.
"What—" he gasped. "By all—"
Hua's eyes glinted like ice.
"Guilt," she said pleasantly. "Very strong."
Wei coughed to hide a laugh.
Zhou glanced at Xiao‑lan, comprehension dawning.
She tied it, her gaze said.
Yes, Xiao‑lan's smirk answered.
Hua rose.
"Ren Hui," she said (because of course it was the same talisman man), "you come to our sect, buy beasts, alter contracts, and then accuse disciples to extort compensation? Brave. Or stupid."
He sagged.
Fear replaced stubbornness.
"Forgive—"
"Punishment Hall will decide forgiveness," Hua said coolly. "For now, you will return to town under escort. No talismans sold in our villages for one year."
His eyes bulged.
"One year—my trade—"
"Our patience," she corrected.
He was dragged away protesting.
Disciple Han sagged in relief.
"Thank you, Elder," he breathed.
Hua waved him off.
"Learn to ward your copies better," she said. "Lazy law invites thieves."
As they turned to leave, she paused beside Xiao‑lan.
"That was a reckless knot," she murmured. "Effective. Remember: the more blatant the lie, the harsher the snap. Use on the wrong tongue, you might kill them. Or yourself."
"I'll…aim for headaches," Xiao‑lan said.
Hua's lips quirked.
"Good," she said. "We save skull‑cracking for real demons."
Her gaze grew distant.
"Speaking of," she added softly, "reports from the east speak of strange curses. If any contract you see tastes like today's—two inks, one foul—tell me. Or Wei." Her eyes sharpened. "Promise."
"I promise," Xiao‑lan said.
The knot she wove in her own name this time was deliberate.
Wei snorted. "Welcome to Law work," he said. "One solved dispute, three new headaches."
"I like it," she admitted.
He shook his head.
"You're as mad as Shen," he muttered.