After speaking, seeing Jiang Si’s shocked expression, Xie Qing’ao’s face immediately turned red.
Oh no, in a moment of excitement, she had inadvertently exposed her father.
Although her mother hadn’t said anything, these days she always seemed worried. Qing’ao wasn’t a thoughtless young girl anymore; she had long pondered the reasons behind this.
After much consideration, the possibility of her father keeping a mistress outside seemed high.
No, her father must have a mistress outside!
Xie Qing’ao stood up, “A-Si since you’ve come to the same conclusion as me, I’ll go back right now to remind my mother—”
“Wait, when did I come to the same conclusion as you?” Jiang Si was a bit confused.
“Didn’t you just say that this matter was most likely related to my father?”
Jiang Si didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She quickly pulled Xie Qing’ao to sit down, “How did you jump to that conclusion? I meant that perhaps your father is unwell, and your mother is worried about his health.”
The incident of Marquis Yongchang sleeping with pigs had been a joke in the capital for a long time, and people would still mention it years later, but the truth was simple.
After inviting a famous doctor, the Marquis Yongchang’s family discovered the reason for the Marquis’s bizarre behavior: he suffered from somnambulism, also known as sleepwalking.
Unfortunately, by then, the joke had already spread.
Now, Jiang Si was in a dilemma about how to remind her friend.
“Health issues?” Xie Qing’ao shook her head without thinking, “It can’t be that. If my father was unwell, my mother would have called for a doctor long ago. Why would she invite Immortal Sister Liu?”
“If your father had a mistress, what use would it be for your mother to invite Immortal Sister Liu?” Jiang Si asked in return.
Xie Qing’ao lowered her voice, “I once read some miscellaneous records about Nanlan. Some women use secret techniques to make unfaithful men return to them.”
Jiang Si: “…”
Xie Qing’ao held her head in frustration.
She had unintentionally exposed her mother again.
“Qing’ao, I think you’re overthinking this. Given your mother’s status, even if your father had a mistress or even a child outside, would your mother resort to such methods?”
“Then what’s going on? Sigh, why did Immortal Sister Liu have to die at this particular time?” Xie Qing’ao sighed in frustration.
“Don’t look so gloomy. Since your mother won’t say anything, don’t ask her directly. Try to gather information indirectly or ask the maids close to your mother. Pay more attention to your father’s behavior, and you might uncover the truth.”
Marquis Yongchang’s sleepwalking had progressed to the point of sleeping with pigs. It must have happened more than once or twice. Lady Yongchang must have noticed the Marquis’s unusual behavior and thought of supernatural causes, hence the idea of inviting Immortal Sister Liu to exorcise evil spirits.
Immortal Sister Liu’s sudden death had left Lady Yongchang in a state of confusion. If Xie Qing’ao was observant, it wouldn’t be difficult to find the source of her mother’s worries.
“Mm, I’ll investigate when I get back. By the way, A-Si, have you ever spoken with Immortal Sister Liu?” Young girls of Xie Qing’ao’s age were always curious about Immortal Sister Liu, who had been rumored to have mystical powers and then met a violent end at the height of her fame.
Jiang Si’s eyes curved in a slight smile, “I’ve greeted her, of course. After all, she stayed at our house for two days.”
“I heard that Immortal Sister Liu’s murder case has alarmed all three judicial offices, and even the constables of the Shuntian Prefecture are busy. A-Si, do you think they’ll catch the killer who harmed Immortal Sister Liu?”
“I think it’s unlikely.”
“Why?”
Jiang Si took a small sip of her clear tea, thinking to herself: Because good deeds are rewarded.
“You’re being mysterious again.”
Jiang Si smiled gently, “I’m not being mysterious. Someone like Immortal Sister Liu dealt with all sorts of people from various walks of life. Her relationships were complex and chaotic. Trying to find the killer would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
At this moment, Jiang Si and her close friend weren’t the only ones discussing the true killer of Immortal Sister Liu; it was a hot topic throughout the entire city.
However, that killer had already left the capital and returned to a small town hundreds of miles away.
The man with a calm expression walked leisurely towards his home.
“General Qin, haven’t seen you at the tavern for a while,” a passerby greeted the man.
“I’ll be there soon,” the man smiled. Compared to his previous gloomy and depressed demeanor, he seemed more relaxed, as if reinvigorated with a new spirit.
But if one looked closely, this feeling was also unsettling.
The man before them was like a flame, bright but capable of burning himself to ashes.
As the low, simple house came into view, the man pushed open the door and looked around, not seeing any sign of the young man.
The man walked back to the courtyard, lifted the lid of the water vat by the door, scooped up some water to drink, and then jumped in to take a refreshing bath. Afterward, he changed into new clothes.
These clothes were made for him by his fiancée over ten years ago. The fabric was of high quality, and even now, the colors remain vibrant.
However, after so many years, the once-spirited young military officer had become a down-and-out drunkard. The fine clothes looked out of place on him now.
Yet the man carefully smoothed out the hem and strode out of the house.
The rural paths felt slightly damp underfoot. In the fields, besides the lush green crops, one could occasionally see raised mounds of earth.
Those were graves.
His fiancée now resided in such a place, having waited for him for a long time.
In the distance, a grave mound appeared. Unlike the others, there was a thatched hut not far from it.
The man had built it himself. Sometimes, when life felt unbearable, he would come to stay here for a couple of days.
This time, however, the man didn’t enter the thatched hut. Instead, he sat down directly in front of the grave, lovingly touching the green grass growing on the mound.
A green tomb holding fragrant bones—the mere thought was heart-wrenching.
The man sat motionless for who knows how long until even the birds resting on the branches grew weary and flew away.
He lowered his head and took out a hairpin from his bosom.
This hairpin was also old, with a sharp tip. It was a gift he never had the chance to give her.
The man held the hairpin and placed it against his chest, seriously contemplating.
With a bit of force, it should be quick, right?
A sudden sound made the man jump up, clutching the golden hairpin and looking alertly in the direction of the noise.
The young man who had brought such a dramatic change to his life stood not far away with an odd expression, two fish flopping happily at his feet.
“Why are you here?” the man asked, walking over with the golden hairpin in hand.
A-Fei licked his lips, “Don’t be agitated, I was waiting for you.”
Is gold so worthless these days that people are using golden hairpins as weapons?
The man looked down at the lively grass carp.
A-Fei quickly raised both hands, “Please don’t be upset, the fish are innocent!”
He had waited so long in this dilapidated hut, what was wrong with wanting to eat some grilled fish?
“You should leave,” the man said calmly.
A-Fei bit his tongue.
He was truly frightened now. This man had just been about to take his own life. When someone no longer cares about their own life, what if they decide they want a drinking companion on their final journey?
“If you’re scared, why don’t you leave quickly?”
“The person who wrote you the letter has more to say through me.”
“It’s not necessary anymore.” The man ignored A-Fei and returned to the grave.
A-Fei steeled himself and called out, “She said that your fiancée has been gone for over ten years. She’s already reincarnated. Even if you go to find her now, you won’t be able to.”