Mo Sang – CH 109

Chapter 109. Autumn Day and Autumn Wind

At the Marquis of Yongping’s Residence.

Shen Mingshu helped his grandmother, Old Lady Han, into the main room of the main courtyard.

Old Lady Han sat on the couch, looking weary, and instructed Shen Mingshu, “Go and fetch your father.”

Shen Mingshu agreed and went to the door to instruct an old woman.

Shen He arrived quickly.

“Sit down,” Old Lady Han gestured to Shen He, then instructed Shen Mingshu, “Tell your father first.”

“Yes,” Shen Mingshu bowed, looking at his father with a resentful expression. “This time, they said the Emperor is ill, so they will not invite outsiders.

Besides my grandmother and me, there are a few young ladies from the Sun and Zhou families, which is fine, but my sister abandoned her family and went to the temple, so the Second Prince has to find another marriage. These are definitely people they went to meet, so that’s fine too.

But, Father, you will never guess!

That bitch Shunfeng boss, surnamed Li, she went too! And she brought two inhuman creatures with her!

The Second Prince said Ninghe invited them.

Does Ninghe have any brains? How could they let her invite whomever she wants?

After all, it’s a palace banquet; it’s in the palace!

Father, you say…”

“Enough!” Old Lady Han raised her voice, interrupting Shen Mingshu, who was getting angrier and angrier as he spoke.

“That bitch surnamed Li really went?” Shen He looked incredulous.

“Yes, Ninghe has been wandering around with her a lot lately. Ninghe is naive, but from the Emperor to the Second Prince and the Worthy Consort, everyone dotes on her. If she really wanted to invite someone, whether it was appropriate or not, the Worthy Consort would not displease her. It’s just a trip to the palace; it’s not a big deal.” Old Lady Han spoke softly.

“How can it not be a big deal! She’s an assassin! What if…” Shen Mingshu cried out anxiously.

“Nothing happened!” Old Lady Han’s face showed a hint of annoyance.

“If something had happened, it would be too late!” Shen He added anxiously.

“What’s the use of telling an old woman like me these things? You should go see the Emperor and talk to him, or go see the Worthy Consort and talk to her!” Old Lady Han’s voice was hoarse with anger.

“Look at what Mother is saying.” Shen He sullenly snorted.

“Stop spouting useless nonsense! I called you here to discuss matters, not to complain or refute me! What’s the point of refuting me?

You can refute the Emperor and the Worthy Consort to their faces; you can say whatever you want to them—that’s your skill!

But you, yelling at an old woman like me, insisting on this and that—fine, you are right, you and your son are both right!

But these are matters for an old woman like me to decide!”

Old Lady Han slapped the kang table with each word she spoke in anger.

“Grandma’s temper is getting worse every day. Is that not how family talks—say what you mean?” Shen Mingshu muttered discontentedly.

Old Lady Han ignored him, only breathing heavily for a while before calming down somewhat.

“I called you here to tell you that Her Imperial Highness is being extremely friendly with that woman surnamed Li. It does not seem to me that it’s just for Ninghe’s sake,” Old Lady Han said, managing to catch her breath before getting down to business.

“That woman surnamed Li is clearly from Southern Liang…”

Shen Mingshu was interrupted by Old Lady Han before he could finish his sentence: “That woman surnamed Li is clearly a spy from Southern Liang! You must let Her Imperial Highness know about this, and you must get the Emperor to kill her immediately! This is no small matter! Go now!”

Shen Mingshu was stunned by his grandmother’s interruption.

Shen He also blinked repeatedly, stunned. How could his mother speak like that?

“Mother, it’s easy for you to say. She has the Eldest Master and the Shizi protecting her. To kill her, you need evidence, which is no easy task.”

“So you do know that just shouting a couple of times is not enough; you need evidence,” Old Lady Han sneered. “When you yelled at me, did you think about these things? Did you think about what to do?”

“Mother!” Shen He looked at his mother with a troubled expression.

His mother was getting more and more confused and temperamental with age!

“Before you yell, think it over. Is what you are yelling about something as simple as a few words?

I called you here just for this one sentence: I am tired. You two go to your study and discuss important matters.” Old Lady Han waved her hand wearily.

Shen He grunted, signaling to his son Shen Mingshu, and the two of them excused themselves and left.

……………………

As the seventh month arrived, at least the nights were cooler, and Li Sangrou, with the arrival of autumn, seemed to come alive again.

Just as the seventh month began, Zhang Mao came to find Li Sangrou, wanting to take Guo’er back to Linhuan County for the Ghost Festival to burn some winter clothes and offer paper money for Guo’er’s mother, and to ask Li Sangrou where Sister Qi was buried.

Li Sangrou, who happened to have nothing else to do, immediately decided to go with them.

The Ghost Festival was considered to be filled with yin energy, and Linhuan County was believed to be haunted by evil spirits. She dared not say that ghosts and spirits did not exist.

Zhang Mao beamed and immediately expanded the group to include Xiu’er, Cui’er, and Dazhuang to pay their respects to their aunt.

After seeing Zhang Mao off, Li Sangrou stood at the shop entrance for a while, then went straight to the Daxiangguo Temple to ask Abbot Yuande for a protective amulet. She then went to Zhang Mao’s house and tied the amulet around Guo’er’s neck.

Li Sangrou and Zhang Mao, with four children in tow, could only walk slowly along the way.

Zhang Mao went back to pack, and the next day, the two of them set off in two large carts, leaving Jianle City and leisurely making their way towards Linhuan County, enjoying the scenery along the way.

With four children, the two of them could only travel fifty or sixty li a day. It was not until the day before the Ghost Festival that the two carts entered Linhuan County, one after the other, and checked into an inn.

The next day was the Ghost Festival. Early in the morning, Aunt Sheng, the new manager of the delivery shop, came over, leading Li Sangrou and the others to the outskirts of the city to pay respects to Sister Qi.

“Guo’er has gained a lot of weight, and her complexion is good too. She looks so good!” Aunt Sheng came over, saw Guo’er, and before she could finish speaking, tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly turned away.

Li Sangrou gently patted her. “Manager Zou said that Sister Qi’s grave is being looked after by you. Thank you for your hard work.”

“What hard work? My husband is buried in that area, too. But we will bring extra things each time. Shall we leave now?” Aunt Sheng turned back, wiping away her tears.

Li Sangrou looked at Zhang Mao, who nodded. “Let’s go.”

Zhang Mao and Li Sangrou drove a cart for the children, following Aunt Sheng, out of Linhuan County, to a small earthen slope beside a stream.

Around the slope were scattered graves.

“That’s it. Manager Zou spent five or six days searching with a geomancer. The geomancer said this place was bright and open, near the water, and a good spot. So Manager Zou bought it.

Those cypress trees around the grave were planted by Manager Zou on the day Sister Qi was buried, and they all survived.

Those flowers and grasses in front? I planted them. Sister Qi was a particular person; she loved these flowers and grasses.

It would be even better if we erected a tombstone on the first anniversary,” Aunt Sheng said, leading everyone up the slope.

“Thank you so much,” Zhang Mao said sincerely, holding Guo’er’s hand.

“We are family, no need for formalities. Ah, we are all unfortunate souls.” Aunt Sheng glanced down at Guo’er, patted her head, and said, “This child is destined for great fortune.”

Aunt Sheng led everyone to Sister Qi’s grave, murmured a few words, and then went to her husband’s grave not far away.

Zhang Mao led Guo’er in kowtowing, squatting before the grave, burning paper money, ingots, clothes, and houses.

Xiu’er squatted beside Zhang Mao, helping, while Cui’er knelt close to Guo’er. Guo’er sobbed, and Cui’er murmured, “Auntie, it’s me, Cui’er. I love Guo’er the most, Mother loves Guo’er the most, Sister loves Guo’er the most, and Sister Man’er loves Guo’er the most; you can rest assured.”

Dazhuang squatted close to Xiu’er, repeatedly reaching out to throw things and paper money into the fire, but Xiu’er slapped them away each time.

Li Sangrou stood not far away, hands behind her back, gazing at the distant, rolling autumn colors.

After burning paper money and clothes, Li Sangrou drove her cart to visit Sister Qi’s old courtyard again. By the time she returned to the inn, the sun was already setting.

It was the Ghost Festival, and it was considered inauspicious to go out after dark.

The group ate dinner at the inn. Just as they finished, the rapid sound of hooves approached the inn’s entrance. Hei Ma, its front hooves still in the air, tumbled off and rushed into the inn. “There’s someone surnamed Li… Boss!”

Before Hei Ma could finish shouting, it saw Li Sangrou jump up.

“Boss, something’s happened! Something…” Hei Ma lunged forward, its forehead veins bulging with anxiety.

“Drink this cup of tea first; catch your breath before you speak. Do not rush things over a breath,” Li Sangrou said sternly, grabbing a cup of tea from the table and handing it to Hei Ma.

“Yes.” Hei Ma sniffed, took the tea, drank it sip by sip, placed the cup on the table, and looked at Li Sangrou, saying, “Jin Mao is missing. Half a day and a night—no, I’ve been here for a day, a day and a half and a night—and there’s still no news…”

“What about his sister’s family?” Li Sangrou interrupted Hei Ma.

“They are gone too, all gone, completely gone! I…” Hei Ma wiped his face, his hands wet with sweat and tears.

“I have to go back now. When I get to the post station, I will find someone to take you and the children back to Jianle City.

Tomorrow morning, wait for the people from the post station before you leave. Be careful on the road.” Li Sangrou instructed Zhang Mao, then stood up and walked out.

“Sigh…” Zhang Mao, holding Guo’er, did not finish the sigh before Li Sangrou had already strode out.

……………………

Li Sangrou and Hei Ma galloped through the night, reaching the gates of Chenzhou at dawn.

Upon waking in the middle of the night, Xiao Lu and Datou were waiting outside Chenzhou. Seeing Li Sangrou and Hei Ma in the distance, they leaped up and rushed towards them.

Li Sangrou saw the two and quickly reined in her horse. The horse reared up, circled once, and then stopped.

“Have you gone home yet?” Hei Ma shouted, passing Xiao Lu and Datou, circling back.

He could not rein in the horse.

“No! Chuantiao is waiting at home. Datou and I came out in the middle of the night, but we have not!” Xiao Lu cried.

“You two, each with a horse, go and check on the bodies sent to the mortuary outside the city within the last three days,” Li Sangrou ordered in a stern voice.

She and Hei Ma were both riding two horses. Xiao Lu and Datou rushed forward, took the horses, and mounted. One headed west, the other east, to investigate the mortuary.

“Go to the yamen. You know the magistrate. Find out how many unidentified corpses have been in the city in the last three or four days, and where they were all taken. Examine them one by one,” Li Sangrou then instructed Hei Ma.

Hei Ma’s face was deathly pale. “Boss…”

“Jin Mao is probably in grave danger. Go quickly.” Li Sangrou closed her eyes briefly and waved for Hei Ma to hurry.

Li Sangrou spurred her horse back to Chaomi Alley.

Blind Mi was also in the house in Chaomi Alley. Seeing Li Sangrou rush in, he darted out to fetch and tie up her horse. Blind Mi greeted Li Sangrou and said, “The day before yesterday at noon, Jin Mao and Hei Ma ate together.

Hei Ma said that after eating, Jin Mao went out to deliver something to Chaobao Lane and never came back.

When we ate dinner that evening, Hei Ma and the others assumed Jin Mao had gone to his sister’s house and did not think much of it.

Hei Ma said that he woke up in the middle of the night to relieve himself and found Jin Mao’s bed empty, and that he had not returned. He felt something was wrong and quickly went to check on Liu’s braised meat shop.

Across from Liu’s braised meat shop was a sesame seed cake shop. The sesame seed cake shop always started making dough and cakes in the middle of the night.

Hei Ma said that the guys making the sesame cakes said that Liu’s braised meat shop had not opened all day since the day before, which they found very strange. They said Liu was usually very diligent, never taking a break even during the New Year, so this was the first time it had been closed for a whole day.

Hei Ma went to find me, and we quickly went to Jin Mao’s sister’s house.

The Liu family’s courtyard gate was locked, but all the house doors were wide open. This was strange, so I immediately sent Hei Ma to find you.

I stayed at Baihu Bridge until dawn, then went to inquire around the neighborhood.

The neighbors around Liu’s house all said that when they got up the previous morning, Liu’s house was tightly shut, and they had not seen anyone go in or out all day, nor had they heard the old lady’s voice.

The old lady’s voice was very loud.

The neighbor to the east was close to the Liu family. She said that the day before, she was busy until the sun was high in the sky, but she felt something was missing. Thinking about it, she realized she had not heard the old lady of the Liu family’s voice, so she went to knock on the door. She said the Liu family’s gate was tightly shut, and no one answered.”

“You went in to check?” Li Sangrou’s face was ashen.

“Yes, I finally managed to crawl in.

Under the shed in the courtyard, half-cooked meat was piled up neatly. All the doors were wide open, and inside, except for the bed, nothing was messy.

Judging from the state of the bed, it looked like someone had gagged her and carried her away. Her clothes were hanging by the bed, her shoes were there, and the two children’s schoolbags were there too.

Everything else was there. Beside the Liu couple’s bed, there was a small box with about ten taels of silver inside, untouched.” The blind man sighed.

“After all this time, this is all you’ve found out, so useless?” Li Sangrou kicked the pomegranate tree in the courtyard.

A pomegranate seed fell and hit Blind Mi on the head.

Blind Mi patted his head. “They are probably after Jin Mao, or maybe you. Maybe you are still alive. There’s a whole family here, old and young. We need to hurry.”

Li Sangrou did not say a word, rushing into the house. A moment later, she came out dressed in indigo, fastening a crossbow to her wrist as she instructed Chuantiao: “Go find Ru-Yi and have him take you to see the Shizi. Report Jin Mao’s disappearance to him in person.”

Li Sangrou then turned to Blind Mi. “Go to the Dong family’s newsstand and inquire about the moment Jin Mao left the newsstand. See if you can find out anything.”

Chuantiao agreed and turned to run out.

“Where are you going?” Blind Mi glared at Li Sangrou, who was fastening bolts to her crossbow.

“Go to the Marquis of Yongping’s residence and see what Shen He is doing, what Shen Mingshu is doing, and what about that old lady,” Li Sangrou said coldly.

“The Marquis of Yongping’s residence? Why did they arrest Jin Mao’s sister’s family? Arresting Jin Mao will not do any good either,” Blind Mi could not understand.

“In Jianle City, the only people I know who are both bold and foolish enough are at the Marquis of Yongping’s residence. Let’s go and see first.” Li Sangrou nocked her crossbow bolt and turned to leave.

“Hey! Be careful, do not let anyone see you! Even if you are foolish, you cannot be this foolish.

Do not get yourself into trouble. After all, it’s a marquis’s residence, the maternal family of a prince!” Blind Mi, carrying his cane, jogged after Li Sangrou.