Ahoy there mateys! Chih is traveling in the riverlands to record stories for the monastery with Almost Brilliant, her companion neixin bird spirit with a perfect memory.  After an awesome fight at an inn, the duo joins a group of travelers who discuss a local folk hero as they journey.  This novella explores how truth becomes historical lore.  I love the relationship between Chih and Almost Brilliant.  I also really enjoyed the young women Wei Jintai and Mac Sang and the middle-aged couple Lao Bingyi and her husband Khanh.  I really enjoyed how the tale of the Bandit was interspersed throughout the descriptions of the riverlands and what the group was experiencing. Arrr!