Coming out from the East City Wharf, Meng Rui felt vexed and troubled. Since arriving in Suishui City, not a single thing had gone smoothly—the four strange lines from the green-eyed person were obscure and misty with no leads. He had wanted to rescue Inoue, but in the end was rejected by him. And then there was Du Zhongtao. Although that Fang Zheng was long-winded and verbose, there was one thing he had said correctly: although Du Zhongtao had died from falling from the pavilion, there was quite a bit that was suspicious about it.
It was just that the doubtful points were not the ones Fang Zheng suspected.
Meng Rui thought again of the scent lingering around Du Zhongtao’s corpse. What exactly was that smell?
At the Four Seas Restaurant, Meng Rui had just ordered a pot of wine when a person suddenly appeared across from him, as if growing up from underground. Meng Rui’s head felt a bit dizzy, because the person who had popped up was precisely Fang Zheng.
“Such elegant leisure, hiding here drinking alone.” Fang Zheng’s left eye socket had a dark circle around it.
“You drank too much as well, didn’t you?” Meng Rui looked at the black eye and said. Fang Zheng gave a “hehe” laugh: “Last night I went to the wall of Cat Widow Sun’s place. Widow Sun is precisely the one who was molested by Du Zhongtao. Based on my judgment, it must be that Widow Sun joined forces with her lover to kill Du Zhongtao.”
“So I waited half the night for the lover, didn’t wait for him, but instead was discovered by Widow Sun. So…” Fang Zheng blinked his left eye. Meng Rui gave him a cup of wine: “There’s much trouble before a widow’s door, much more so at the wall. Getting one black eye is quite light—both should be black.”
“Spare me.” Fang Zheng threw back his head and drained the wine. “I’ve grown this old and it’s the first time I’ve been hit by a woman’s fist. So women have this much strength when they get angry—better to keep a respectful distance in the future.”
Fang Zheng poured another cup of wine and suddenly smiled: “But it can also be considered a blessing in disguise. Widow Sun felt a bit bad about hitting me, so she told me all about that affair with Du Zhongtao.”
“Not just that affair, she even told me about drinking her hometown’s aged wine the night before. Hehe, that old woman.”
Based on the testimonies of Widow Sun, Madam Du, the old steward, and several others, Fang Zheng roughly described the situation of that day:
Du Zhongtao was a person of standing and reputation. After being hit in the face by bird droppings, he found a tea house to wash his face. That tea house wasn’t large, only two rooms inside and out. Du Zhongtao went to the inner small room to wash his face. Who knew that halfway through washing he heard a startled cry—he was frightened.
Wiping his eyes to look, there was actually another person in the small room, and moreover it was a woman holding up her trouser belt.
The woman was precisely Widow Sun. Originally, Widow Sun wanted to relieve herself, but there was someone else in the tea house’s latrine. She couldn’t hold it in for the moment, so she secretly slipped into the room and found a corner to solve the problem. Having just finished, she stood up bare-bottomed and was just preparing to tie her trouser belt when she suddenly discovered there was an extra man in the room.
In her shock and confusion, Widow Sun couldn’t care about anything else and opened her throat to scream.
The unlucky Du Zhongtao ran out in panic and fright. The tea drinkers in the tea house all crowded over to watch the excitement. On one side was Du Zhongtao with a face full of water foam, on the other side was Widow Sun with disheveled clothing. People with eyes immediately understood in their hearts: it must be a man molesting a woman, and when the molestation didn’t succeed, he was splashed in the face with water.
Du Zhongtao was both annoyed and embarrassed. Without a word, he returned to the city. One could say he was unlucky—among the tea drinkers there was someone who recognized Du Zhongtao. This person was a young errand runner from the Du Residence. And the young errand runner’s sweetheart worked as a maid in Madam Du’s quarters, named Meixiang.
Through one person and then another, the rumor of Du Zhongtao molesting a woman entered Madam Du’s ears.
Just as Fang Zheng had guessed, Madam Du was truly a complete vinegar jar. After Du Zhongtao returned to the residence, the two had a huge noisy quarrel. This time everyone in the Du Residence knew about it. Some busybody in the residence even went specifically to investigate and discovered that the woman who had been molested was Widow Sun from the long street.
When Madam Du learned this, she was even more furiously enraged and physically fought with Du Zhongtao. After fighting until the latter part of the Hour of the Rooster, Madam Du returned to the rear courtyard still seething with anger, while Du Zhongtao exhaustedly went up to the flower pavilion of the eastern wing courtyard, and there met his tragic end.
Fang Zheng spoke until his mouth was dry and tongue parched. He gulped down two cups of wine in succession before sighing and lamenting: “Aiyo! Who could have imagined that Du Zhongtao was killed by a pile of bird droppings and a puddle of human urine. Truly pitiful, so pitiful.”
“Where does that connect to what?” Meng Rui was accustomed to a cold face, but seeing Fang Zheng, he could only helplessly smile bitterly.
Meng Rui had seen all kinds of people, but speaking of this Suishui City constable, he was absolutely a countable oddball!
“You didn’t go find Tengu Ichiro?”
Fang Zheng’s face showed difficulty: “I also wanted to go find him, but Lord Kong won’t allow it. He said Tengu Ichiro has connections with the Wa Kingdom’s imperial family and is some kind of Imperial Way merchant. It’s impossible he would arbitrarily kill people in Suishui City.”
Meng Rui inwardly gave a cold laugh. If he hadn’t intervened yesterday, Aihara Hideo would have already slain Inoue at the Four Seas Restaurant. Wa Kingdom imperial family—not worth a fart!
“But if we can’t investigate openly, we can do it secretly. I know several wharf patrol officers. As long as we get onto the sea vessel, we can secretly find evidence. Once we have evidence, we can capture that fellow Tengu in one stroke.” Fang Zheng grabbed Meng Rui’s hand again, his eyes shining: “Let’s go right now.”
“Wait. No rush, no rush.” Meng Rui carefully withdrew his hand, only then saying with relief: “Besides Tengu Ichiro, I have another place I need to go look at.”
“Where?”
“That tea house.”
After eating lunch at the Four Seas Restaurant, at the Hour of the Sheep, Meng Rui arrived at “Li’s Tea House” outside the city.
This tea house wasn’t far from the official road where the bird droppings had fallen. The tea house had two rooms inside and out—outside was the tea room, inside was a small room for storing miscellaneous items. After circling around the small room, Fang Zheng suddenly gave a strange smile and muttered: “Inside there still seems to be a urine smell.”
Meng Rui acted as if he hadn’t heard and came out to chat a couple sentences with the tea house owner. The tea house owner clicked his tongue saying: “Usually the male customers at the tea house all urinate in the woods. The latrine is specially reserved for female customers. Yesterday I don’t know which fellow was so blind as to steal the female customers’ latrine, which is how this ugly incident happened. But afterward I also asked around, but no one admitted to it.”
There were no clues at the tea house. Meng Rui and Fang Zheng hurried to the Du Residence and went up to the flower pavilion where Du Zhongtao had fallen.
The flower pavilion was seven chi wide and about two zhang long. From left to right there were six or seven types of flowers, gorgeously colorful and beautiful. The Du Residence’s old steward also came up to the pavilion, introducing them one by one: “These are all the master’s beloved flowers—Gold-Touched White Orchid, Immortal Hibiscus, Ram’s Horn Red—all valuable and rare varieties.”
Meng Rui took a deep breath. He hoped to find that previously mysterious scent among the many flower fragrances, but the result was disappointing. At the head of the corridor platform were several simple furnishings: a jujube-colored rattan chair, a short table, a tea set, and a yellow flower pot. Directly facing the rattan chair was a five-colored flower plant, fragrantly enchanting and captivating, making it difficult for people to leave.
“It’s called ‘Five Kites,’ a masterpiece tribute from the Western Regions to the imperial court. The master exchanged ten thousand taels of gold to obtain this one plant. Every time he came up to the flower pavilion, the master had to stare at ‘Five Kites’ for half an hour.” The old steward said while wiping away tears.
The wooden railing in the middle of the corridor platform had a large broken section. Fang Zheng looked and said: “No need to say it—Du Zhongtao fell from right here.”
Meng Rui felt the edge of the broken wooden railing twice, then stuck his head out through the opening, looked down at the bluestone slab below, then stood up and said: “That will do. Let’s go see Madam Du again.”
Led by the old steward, they came to the rear courtyard and met Madam Du. Madam Du’s complexion was pale and haggard as she said weakly: “This young woman is unwell and unable to rise to greet you. I hope the Lords will forgive me.”
“No problem.” Fang Zheng wasn’t particular about formalities anyway.
Speaking again of the deceased Du Zhongtao, Madam Du hadn’t heard more than a couple sentences before she started crying plaintively. Meng Rui and Fang Zheng exchanged glances. It wasn’t good to interrupt, so they could only wait for Madam Du to finish crying. After quite a while, Madam Du said with red and swollen eyes: “I’m truly sorry, I couldn’t hold back…”
“Human nature, human nature.” Fang Zheng said this, then turned back and whispered to Meng Rui: “So the big vinegar jar actually has such deep feelings and loyalty. Hehe, Du Zhongtao’s death was worthwhile.”
Meng Rui again acted as if he hadn’t heard. Madam Du recounted the argument once more, admitting that the injuries on Du Zhongtao’s hands and neck were all scratches she had made, and the dark patterned robe was also torn by her. As she spoke, tears fell again. Meng Rui quickly pulled up Fang Zheng to take their leave.
“Meixiang, see the Lords out for me.”
A maid with large eyes saw Meng Rui out through the screen door. Meng Rui suddenly said a person’s name: “Huang Xiaoshan.”
The maid Meixiang was startled and looked up at Meng Rui. The corners of Meng Rui’s mouth lifted as he walked away satisfied. Huang Xiaoshan was precisely that Du Residence errand runner. This Meixiang should be Huang Xiaoshan’s sweetheart.
Coming out of the Du Residence, it was already the Hour of the Rooster.
“Still need to make another trip to the black room.” Meng Rui said meaningfully. “One last look at Du Zhongtao.”
Fang Zheng grimaced: “I’d rather go see the sickly Madam Du—pear blossoms with rain only increase her delicate beauty.”
Meng Rui glanced at Fang Zheng, thinking to himself that he would definitely never come to Suishui again to see this oddball gentleman.
Hour of the Rooster, fifty li from Suishui City, Nanhu Military Camp.
The moon was bright and stars sparse. Dongfang Shangwu sat on the empty ground before his tent, his Wild Goose Feather Blade planted beside him. He said unhurriedly: “Sit. Why are you standing there like a fool?”
Behind him stood Chi Yun in silent uprightness. Chi Yun knelt on both knees: “General, Chi Yun has failed your expectations… I let the evil villains who slaughtered the fishermen escape. I have no face to meet the General again.”
“Since you are a soldier, you should understand that victory and defeat are common occurrences in military affairs. Moreover, their escape isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” Dongfang Shangwu gazed at the distant mountain ranges. “Sit down. I have something to say to you.”
Chi Yun listened in complete confusion. After hesitating a moment, he sat down.
“Those two evil villains are very formidable?” Dongfang Shangwu said.
Chi Yun nodded unwillingly.
“They aren’t ordinary people… Have you heard of ‘Ghost Soldiers’?” In Dongfang Shangwu’s eyes rose and fell a vast expanse of emotion. Chi Yun suddenly trembled, realizing in shock: “Could it be, could it be they are Ghost Soldiers!”
“‘The Netherworld as body, wild beasts as soul.’ These past two years there have constantly been rumors of Ghost Soldiers—these undying warriors. I never deeply believed it, but this morning I received a secret order from the Crown Prince.” Dongfang Shangwu paused. “The secret order said: Ghost Soldiers are in Suishui.”
“Then what should we do?” Chi Yun straightened his chest. “Exterminate them!”
“Don’t be hasty. The Crown Prince already has arrangements. Tonight you will send the corpses of the fishermen slaughtered by the Ghost Soldiers to the Suishui Prefecture and deliver them to that Kong Pei.” Dongfang Shangwu’s expression became solemn. “Right now undercurrents are surging in the Holy City, while Tianyuan Prefecture is stirring restlessly. The Crown Prince has always wanted to quickly pacify Qingzhou and form an alliance with Prince Kang.”
“But Prince Kang seems to have other plans. He neither wants to offend the Crown Prince nor is he willing to antagonize Prince Ding. He wants to hold this bowl of water level. Alas, but living in an age approaching chaos, where is there any fairness?”
Dongfang Shangwu stretched out his ape-like arms and lay down fully: “What the Crown Prince wants us to do is poke at it and make this bowl of water completely lose its balance.”
“Just send the corpses and that’s it?” Chi Yun was somewhat bewildered.
Dongfang Shangwu nodded: “According to legend, Ghost Soldiers come from ‘Black Night,’ and that ‘Black Night’ has countless tangled connections with Prince Ding. We send the corpses to make Kong Pei fight against the Ghost Soldiers… Regardless of who wins or loses, both sides will bear grudges, and Prince Kang’s bowl of water will be difficult to keep level.”
“This subordinate understands.” Chi Yun looked at the General, then walked away without turning his head back.
On the icy cold empty ground, Dongfang Shangwu glanced at the cold blade of the Wild Goose Feather Blade, thinking to himself: The Crown Prince’s secret order said at the end that the Crown Prince had dispatched a personally appointed secret envoy—exactly who would this secret envoy be?