The fifth year of the Great Liang Dynasty marked an exceptionally good period for the wandering individuals of the world. A dagger that could split a wrist was priced at five coins, a bowl of stewed meat noodles cost three coins, and taking a nap beneath a large tree close to an ancient tomb could lead to an encounter with a nocturnal fox, a relaxed night, and a bonus of ten coins. That year, the Huai River rose dramatically, inundating three prefectures and sixteen counties. A dragon met its end in Yunmeng, with its blood falling like rain and solidifying into jade. Decayed wood could give rise to spirits, ancient objects could transform in peculiar ways, an old woman could bear a ghost, and phantoms wandered the night... During that year, Su Che traveled through Guo Bei County with a wooden box as he made his way to assume the role of county magistrate in Shanyin.