At the Hai hour, the moon cast a cold glow, and tonight’s moonlight was exceptionally clear and serene. Jiang Zeshui shut the doors and windows of his study tightly. After pausing for a moment, he walked toward the plain painting of the White Walnut Immortal hanging in the main hall, praying devoutly before it, his lips murmuring words incessantly. Then, he did something strange—he knocked on Peach Old Immortal’s belly.
The black shadow that had been lying in wait for two full hours finally made its move. Having already scouted Jiang Residence earlier, it now made its way expertly toward Jiang Zeshui’s study. Light and shadows flickered in the study, faintly revealing a round, short man pacing back and forth.
The black shadow punctured the hazy window and happened to see Jiang Zeshui stop before the plain painting. What better moment to strike! The black shadow used a blade to pry open the window and leaped inside.
“Jiang Zeshui!”
Jiang Zeshui violently startled and was just about to shout when a gleaming green blade was already pressed against his throat.
“Shout again and I’ll send you immediately to join Hu Hai and the others.” The black shadow’s voice carried only icy, murderous intent.
Jiang Zeshui dared not shout anymore, nor could he.
“Now I ask, you answer.” The blade’s light reflected on his face full of killing intent. “Fifteen years ago on Niugu Mountain, who pushed Chen Zhimei off the cliff?”
Jiang Zeshui’s eyes showed deathly despair. “What are you to Chen Zhimei?”
“Cut the crap and speak!”
The blade twisted and cut a bloody gash. Jiang Zeshui closed his eyes in terror. “I’ll tell, I’ll tell… The one who pushed Chen Zhimei down was Huang Gang, along with Hu Hai and Liu Feng’er.”
“You didn’t push?”
“I pushed… I pushed. But that was because Huang Gang forced me. He said if I didn’t push, he would, would push me down too. I was forced into it with no other choice.” Jiang Zeshui’s eyes reddened, squeezing out two dry tears.
“You’re just as fake as Huang Gang and the others.” The black shadow roared violently. “Don’t cry. If I see one more tear, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs.”
Jiang Zeshui immediately wiped away his tears.
“I’ll ask you again, who strangled Chen Zhimei in Yunjian?” The black shadow’s chest heaved, as if very agitated.
“What Yunjian? Didn’t Chen Zhimei fall to her death!” Jiang Zeshui looked at the black shadow with utter bewilderment on his face. The black shadow, unable to contain his rage, kicked Jiang Zeshui against the wall, then stepped on his chest with one foot and demanded furiously, “Tell me now, who strangled Chen Zhimei!”
“Hurry up and tell me!”
The black shadow’s foot was like a boulder. Jiang Zeshui gradually couldn’t breathe, his fat face swelling to a deep purple color.
“I really don’t know… Spare, spare my life…” Jiang Zeshui begged for mercy.
The black shadow shook his head madly like a deaf person, his pitch-black pupils revealing overwhelming murderous fury.
“Jiang Zeshui, if you won’t tell me, then go find Hu Hai and the others!”
The black shadow suddenly stuffed a piece of coarse white cloth into Jiang Zeshui’s mouth, gripping his neck with both hands and applying fatal force without mercy. After a bout of muffled gasping, Jiang Zeshui’s eyes bulged and his tongue protruded. He died on the spot, his bloodshot eyes staring wide open in death, gazing at the plain painting of the White Walnut Immortal, while the corners of his mouth seemed to hold a trace of an eerie, ambiguous smile.
The black shadow completed the elaborate killing process, but his burning rage remained unabated. He viciously kicked the corpse twice more before leaping out the window. The night wind blew, rattling the broken window and lifting a corner of the Old Peach Immortal’s plain painting, while the strong scent of blood scattered far with the wind.
Near midnight at the Zi hour, Li Si and Huang Youdao came to North Street, arriving at Jiang Residence.
Jiang Zeshui’s horrific death was exactly the same as Hu, Liu, and Huang’s—deep bruises on his neck, a bloody hole the size of a basket on his abdomen, his intestines and stomach twisted into a tangled mess, black blood flowing freely, and remnants of flesh scattered about.
Bai Zhenzhu, who had been hiding behind Li Si, stepped forward and pointed at the interior of the bloody cavity. “Big Brother Li, there seems to be something round inside!”
Wu Zuo had also come along. Using his tweezers, he gently lifted the bloody intestines and discovered more than a dozen yellow-green, crystal-clear small beads near the edge of the bloody hole. Li Si wiped them clean with cloth, took one and sniffed it near his nose. Besides the bloody smell, there was also a faint, light woody fragrance.
Li Si didn’t recognize these small beads, and neither did Bai Zhenzhu nor Wu Wen. Huang Youdao stared at the small beads, and suddenly his eyes lit up. “I recognize this item. These are seeds from the rare treasure gourd unique to Jinxi, the night-glow gourd seeds that can emit a faint light on nights so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face.”
“Gourd seeds.” Li Si examined the smooth little beads carefully. Who would have thought they were actually gourd seeds?
“Since the murderer left gourd seeds behind, then most likely Jiang Zeshui used to sell night-glow gourd seeds.” Huang Youdao hit the nail on the head.
Li Si let out a long sigh and said indignantly, “Crime after bloody crime—just how many people must be brutally slaughtered before this killer will stop!”
In a casual glance, Li Si suddenly noticed that the plain painting of Old Peach Immortal on the wall was moving on its own without any wind, and the figure in the painting was extraordinarily vivid and lifelike. Inspiration suddenly flashed through Li Si’s mind, and he slowly walked toward it.
On the twenty-seventh day, the fierce spirit presided over the north, and there were no taboos.
Early in the morning, Bai Zhenzhu found a sealed letter beneath Li Si’s door and delivered it to him. After reading it, Li Si’s eyes flashed with divine light, and he contemplated deeply for a long while. Bai Zhenzhu curiously pressed him about the contents, but Li Si acted mysterious, saying, “Heaven’s secrets must not be revealed. Little girl, be good and go prepare breakfast.”
“Hmph, if you won’t say it, fine. Who cares anyway?” Bai Zhenzhu went downstairs sullenly.
After breakfast, Constable Feng brought two pieces of news, one good and one bad.
The bad news was that the constable secretly monitoring Yuan Li reported back that Yuan Li had suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.
The good news was that following Li Si’s suggestion to investigate starting with the old neighbors of Hu Hai, Liu Feng’er, and Huang Gang, they had made gains. The old neighbors recalled that both Hu Hai and Liu Feng’er had suddenly become wealthy after returning from Niugu Mountain. There was no witness testimony for Huang Gang yet, but there were similar reports pointing to the same place—Niugu Mountain—from Jiang Zeshui’s side as well.
More crucially, neighbors had seen a heavily pregnant woman in a rented carriage who told the driver her name was Chen Zhimei.
“Chen Zhimei… Niugu Mountain.” Li Si had a vague impression of Niugu Mountain and turned to ask Huang Youdao, “Isn’t Niugu Mountain located south of Changling Pass, where the Di King of the previous dynasty once built a thousand-fathom plank road taking advantage of the terrain?”
Huang Youdao quickly replied, “Indeed. Niugu Mountain was a secret shortcut in the previous dynasty connecting Jinzhou and Yunzhou. The Di Emperor even constructed a cliff-hanging plank road for troops to pass through swiftly. After the fall of the previous dynasty, this military road was abandoned and evolved into a commercial route between the two provinces. Taking a carriage to the foot of Niugu Mountain and then traveling along the ancient thousand-fathom plank road across the two regions not only reduced more than half the journey but also avoided bandits and robbers, so merchants and traders often took the Niugu Mountain route. Unfortunately, a mountain flood and landslide eight or nine years ago severed the ancient plank road at its midsection, and it’s now impassable.”
“Then Niugu Mountain can’t be entered.” Li Si was taken aback and asked worriedly.
“Not exactly. Although it’s impossible to reach Jinzhou territory, entering the mountain is still possible.” Huang Youdao pondered slightly and continued, “However, Niugu Mountain’s terrain is treacherous, harboring poisonous snakes and fierce birds. Especially the broken section of the ancient plank road requires traversing gorges and ravines by detour—without familiarity with the terrain and environment, one can easily get lost and trapped inside. So if Lord Li goes to Niugu Mountain, it would be best to find a local guide.”
Li Si smiled gently. “County Magistrate Huang’s words align perfectly with my thoughts. I think we should select one or two sharp and knowledgeable individuals from among Jinxi’s officers.”
“That would work well. But it’s already been fifteen years—what evidence could still be found at Niugu Mountain?”
Li Si said meaningfully, “County Magistrate Huang, some things fade with time, but some things become more profound with time. Like hatred—I believe going to Niugu Mountain will yield unexpected gains.”
“Oh.” Huang Youdao nodded with half-understanding.
After lunch, Huang Youdao brought several steady and reliable yamen officers for Li Si to choose from. Li Si smiled without speaking, observing them for quite a while but making no selection. Huang Youdao naturally couldn’t press him and could only let Li Si take his time choosing.
Around the Wei hour, Wu Wen returned to the county yamen covered in dust and spoke a few words to Li Si in a low voice.
Li Si called Huang Youdao over and said, “County Magistrate Huang, the people you found are acceptable, but they all look somewhat haggard. I’m afraid something might go wrong once we enter the mountain. I think it would be better to have Wu Wen go find two who are sharper and more capable.”
Huang Youdao smiled bitterly, thinking to himself: All my efforts were wasted—purely a waste of time.
Wu Wen found ten various officers familiar with Niugu Mountain and then carefully selected two from among them to stay.
Li Si looked at the two remaining men with piercing eyes. When the two came closer, he asked, “What are your names, and what are your positions?”
The slightly taller one spoke first. “Reporting to Lord Li, this humble one is called Tang Dayuan. Currently serving as a gate guard at Jinxi’s East Gate.”
The other man had eyes black as pitch, deep as an unfathomable dark pool. “Qiao Zi, gate soldier.”
Li Si nodded. “Good. You two go back and make simple preparations. Tomorrow at first light we’ll enter Niugu Mountain.”
The two gate soldiers left, and Huang Youdao also took his leave. Wu Wen said with some concern, “Constable, Niugu Mountain is fraught with dangers. I should accompany you.”
Li Si waved his hand. “No need for now. You stay in Jinxi and do your work, and also look after Bai Zhenzhu properly. I don’t want Xuan Yuanshan to have any more misunderstandings about me—I need to return this girl safe and sound.”
“Niugu Mountain is deep water. I only hope we can catch that big fish hiding within.” Li Si said with profound eyes.