Chapter 50

“Now that my mother is away, I thought I’d try my luck and see if I could find that sister.”
Shanzha’s eyes were filled with emotion. “It’s impressive you still remember her. If I knew someone cherished me like that, I would be overjoyed.”
“Could you tell me, what did that singer look like? Perhaps I might recognize her.”
Shen Qing’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Really? Truly? Thank you, kind sister!” She lowered her gaze in thought. “That sister, I remember, loved red clothes, was extremely beautiful, and…”
Hearing the words “red clothes,” Shanzha’s eyes briefly flickered with discomfort.
Shen Qing, noticing the emotion, calmly continued, “Also, she had a vermilion birthmark between her brows. That sister loved the red koi, often feeding them in my backyard pond.”
“And she didn’t feed them with regular fish food, but…” Shen Qing deliberately paused, watching as Shanzha’s face turned pale.
Seeing Shen Qing stop, Shanzha looked up sharply. “But… what?” Panic could not be hidden in her eyes.
Shen Qing smiled lightly. “Instead, she fed them coarse grains. To my surprise, the red koi actually ate it.”
Shanzha’s hands, gripping the edge of the table, suddenly relaxed. She forced a smile. “I’ve never seen this person myself, but it’s not uncommon for red koi to eat grains. Few people ever try, that’s all.”
Shen Qing’s expression betrayed slight disappointment. “Is that so? Then I’ll ask another sister next time.”
“No need!”
“Hm?” Shen Qing looked up, puzzled.
Perhaps realizing her slip, Shanzha fidgeted with her hair. “I entered Yuanchun Pavilion at ten. I’ve been here twenty years. Most girls know each other. If there were really a girl who loved red clothes, had a vermilion mark, and was beautiful, how could I not know?”
“The girl you mentioned does not exist in this house.”
Shen Qing sighed in disappointment. “I see…”
Shanzha’s gentle demeanor returned. “Perhaps, young master, time has passed and you were too young to remember clearly.”
“Since sister says she doesn’t exist, then she doesn’t. I’ll inquire elsewhere another day.” Shen Qing seemed to give up, resting her chin as she listened to the music.
She now confirmed in her heart that the Xi Sang demon had once had a significant connection to Yuanchun Pavilion, though why the house concealed all information about it was unknown.
Having gathered enough information, she handed over her jewels and slipped further into Yuanchun Pavilion, reaching the courtyard, a place remembered from Liu Wanxiu’s memories.
Servants and maids were busy already, some washing clothes by the lake, some carrying bathwater, others carrying firewood, moving about in a mechanical routine.
Everyone’s eyes were dull, as if compelled to act merely to survive.
No one paid attention to Shen Qing, the extra “person.”
Following her memory, she reached the docking area, where only two older women were washing clothes.
The former canopy boat was gone, replaced by a modest, uncovered boat moored at the shore, large enough for two, cramped for three.
As Shen Qing approached the boat, one of the old women stopped her.
Her weathered eyes, lined with fine wrinkles, widened as she saw a well-dressed young gentleman. Recognizing a noble misstep, she wiped her hands on her apron and said, “The water is dirty. Please don’t step here, young master. I’ll take you back.”
Shen Qing said, “I am here only to borrow this boat.”
The old woman murmured, “You know it has no oars. How will you move?”
Shen Qing looked around, then smiled brightly. “No oars? Then I’ll just find something nearby.”
The old woman froze.
Shen Qing found two long planks in a corner. Wide enough for two hands, not too thick nor too thin, just right for her.
They had been intended as firewood, but Shen Qing’s sharp eyes spotted their potential as makeshift oars.
The old woman’s eyes welled with tears, as if seeing an old friend through Shen Qing.
Shen Qing curiously asked, “Grandmother, why do you suddenly cry?”
The woman shook her head, quietly wrapping the ends of the planks with worn white cloth. “The wood is rough. Don’t let the young master hurt your hands.”
Shen Qing watched her skillful hands and asked, “This boat seems fairly new. Was it always like this? Does it have an owner? If I use it today, would the owner mind?”
The old woman stared blankly. “It wasn’t. Originally, it was a canopy boat, but it got dirty. They smashed and burned the canopy. This boat is mine. Use it if you wish.”
“Many thanks, grandmother.”
Seeing the ripe lotus pods in Huachun Pond, Shen Qing decided to carry out her lotus-picking plan today. In the next few days, once the Xi Sang demon appeared, she might no longer have a chance.
Holding her makeshift oars, she carefully stepped into the boat with the old woman’s help.
The other woman, working busily, looked up and saw her companion had helped a noble aboard. Her eyes went wide. “Ah Si! What are you doing? Stop this nonsense!”
“Master, come down! Don’t fall in the water!” she cried, rushing forward to pull Shen Qing up.
Shen Qing, who had already stabilized herself, wobbled as the woman’s pull disturbed her balance, nearly tipping into the water.
At the critical moment, she pushed the interfering woman away, sat firmly in the boat, and her eyes now bore a sharp irritation.
In all the commotion, the boat had drifted some distance. The panicking woman shouted, “Young master, come back! Don’t trust that crazy woman! The lake is dangerous!”
Shen Qing snapped, “And why is it dangerous? I merely wish to row and pick lotus!”
In her panic, the old woman could hardly speak clearly. “The fish in the lake… they’ll eat people! This boat is a dead-man’s boat, not that crazy woman’s! You mustn’t go! Come back!”
Shen Qing suddenly perked up, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly. She raised her voice, “I see only red koi in this lake. How could red koi eat people? And what do you mean by a dead-man’s boat? Are you indirectly calling me a dead person?”
The old woman slapped herself twice in haste. “Bah! No, no! I mean… someone died on this boat! The deceased was the owner. And those red koi… they really are dangerous! You must get aboard quickly!”
Compared to the woman’s frantic panic, Shen Qing was completely calm. She leaned against the boat’s edge, chin in hand, and asked, “Then tell me, who was the owner of this boat?”
The woman replied, “All I know is that a lady from the house purchased it three years ago. Exactly who she was, I do not know. After she bought it, she was never seen on it. Then one day, she suddenly died on the boat, and the crazy old woman took possession of it.”
“Whenever someone tried to approach, Ah Si would drive them away, refusing to let anyone sit in the boat. But today…” She trailed off, explaining why her expression was so stunned when she saw a noble aboard.
“Three years ago…” Shen Qing felt a pang of disappointment.
Quickly, she rallied her spirit. “Then what about these red koi eating people?”
The old woman shook her head. “I’ve been here five years. Even then, it was said that the red koi would eat people.”
“Originally, I didn’t believe it. But one day while washing clothes, I accidentally cut my finger. Blood dripped into Huachun Pond, and the water immediately churned. Looking closer, I saw countless red koi swimming at the bottom. They even jumped! Had I not moved quickly, my finger would have been lost.” She shuddered at the memory.
Then she urged again, “Please, get on the boat quickly!”
Shen Qing snorted coldly. “I’m picking lotus pods today. No more fussing, or I’ll have the madam gouge your eyes, cut out your tongue, and throw you out. Stop your nagging.”
The threat worked. The old woman covered her mouth and eyes, grimacing, and could only watch as Shen Qing rowed into the thick lotus leaves.
“Ahh!” The woman scolded Ah Si, pointing a finger. “It’s your fault! Normally your madness is harmless, but today you’ve gone too far. I just hope the little noble doesn’t get hurt! Otherwise, three lives wouldn’t be enough to pay for this!”
In the courtyard, the servants and laborers were all low-born, purchased cheaply by the madam. Their entire lives were spent in this small courtyard, toiling endlessly.
Sometimes they weren’t even treated as human, less than even a beloved pet of the ladies in the house. That was what it meant to be “lower than grass.”
Yet the dry-haired, vacant-eyed Ah Si stared blankly toward where Shen Qing had disappeared, smiling foolishly. “Ah Chou… come back soon. I’ll make lotus seed soup for you.”
Seeing this, the other woman knew she was off her rocker again, sighed, stomped her foot, and resigned herself to return to washing clothes, her gaze flicking anxiously toward the lotus thicket.
Ah Si remained at the dock, smiling foolishly. “Ah Chou… come back soon. I’ll make lotus seed soup for you…”
Shen Qing rowed with some effort, soon reaching a wider area. A fresh fragrance filled the air, the unique scent of lotus flowers and leaves invigorating her senses.
She plucked a large lotus pod and brought it aboard. Breaking one open revealed the tender white lotus seeds inside. She popped one into her mouth, eyes narrowing in satisfaction.
Then she remembered her main task. She took out the oiled paper hidden in her bosom, unwrapped it to reveal fresh red pork liver, and tossed it into the pond. Instantly, countless red koi surged, fighting over the meat.
The scene matched the description she had heard perfectly. So what was the root cause of these red koi’s habit of eating raw meat?
Shen Qing reclined in the boat, hands behind her head, eyes closed in thought.
The Xi Sang demon knew the red koi loved blood and meat and had brought five-year-old Liu Wanxiu to Yuanchun Pavilion to witness it.
A normal child might have been scared to see someone cutting their wrist and letting blood flow, but Liu Wanxiu immediately recognized the demon was crying. She showed no fear, only anger at the koi.
This indicated a close relationship between them. At the very least, Liu Wanxiu trusted her completely.
The demon had not harmed the child, returning her safely to the Liu household, allowing her to grow to fifteen without incident.
When Madam Liu mentioned her sister that day, her puzzled expression couldn’t have been faked, either she truly didn’t know of the Xi Sang demon, or… her acting was so good that even she herself was deceived.
Raw-blood-eating koi, Shanzha’s odd reaction, the destroyed canopy boat, Liu Wanxiu’s sister…
Shen Qing’s intuition told her that Xi Sang demon, the Liu family, and Yuanchun Pavilion were all closely connected. But without a thread linking everything, she was left confused.
Someone in the tower surely knew the Xi Sang demon in life, but why they kept silent was unknown. She could only wait for her response. If Madam Liu produced any evidence of that “sister,” Shen Qing would know she was hiding something.
She exhaled slowly and opened her eyes to see a red-robed youth standing on the flying eaves of Yuanchun Pavilion. His black hair was tied high, silver waist and elbow guards glinting. If observed carefully, a dark bundle in his hand revealed his fingerless gloves.
This was his usual attire when handling affairs outside.
Shen Qing thought quietly: today is like seeing a ghost… even dreaming of him.
Perhaps upon seeing her, he leapt from the eaves toward her. The tiny red dot grew larger, closer…
Something was wrong.
Shen Qing bolted upright in the boat, eyes wide. “Damn it, it’s not a dream!” she shouted.
Li Daoxuan leapt onto the boat. Hearing her mutter “damn it,” he frowned. “What ancestor are you talking about?”
“Why are you here?! Weren’t you recovering at home?!” Shen Qing couldn’t believe it.
Li Daoxuan’s lips curved. He glanced at her, eyes full of mystery. “Aren’t you clever? Guess for yourself.”
Shen Qing immediately guessed how he arrived: “You followed me! No other way! Shameless!”
“Shameless? What is that? I don’t know,” he said, effectively admitting it. Then he added, “But you’ve only guessed half right.”
He kicked the wooden planks acting as oars into the water.
Shen Qing hurried to grab them but he seized her delicate wrist, preventing her from escaping.
Frustrated, she leaned back and pushed him. “Get off!”
The boat rocked violently. Li Daoxuan remained steady, while Shen Qing’s balance wavered, sending her toward him. He caught her instantly, his expression serious.
“Lady Shen, you probably don’t know, just after you left the room, the bodies of Shanzha and Haitang were discovered, skinned alive.”
Shen Qing felt her blood rush to her head. “What did you say?!”
“You don’t understand? You are now a suspect in the Dali Temple case. Only I can help you,” Li Daoxuan whispered in her ear.
“Tell me… why did you come to Yuanchun Pavilion today? Why did you call Haitang and Shanzha into your room? ‘Eighteen Stanzas of the Hu Jia’ is an old song. Why come just for this?”
Shen Qing couldn’t focus on his questions. Her mind raced with the thought that just after she left, Haitang and Shanzha had been skinned alive.
She wondered if the Xi Sang demon had been targeting her from the moment she entered the tower. While inside, she hid in a corner, watching them laugh, trying to extract information from the two girls.
As soon as she left, the demon immediately killed them, sending a warning.
Had it noticed her so early?
“Lady Shen, stop thinking. Cooperate with me. Exchange the information you have, and I’ll tell you what I’ve learned.”
“When did you realize that more than one great demon exists? Was it from seeing Bai Shuisha embrace the Buddha statue, or from the paintings on the wall earlier? Surely your visit to Yuanchun Pavilion today is about this great demon?”
Li Daoxuan only realized the connection while investigating the Yuanchun Pavilion flaying case.
He had left something at Bai Shuisha’s door to sense its movements immediately.
When the deaths occurred in the tower, Bai Shuisha could stay at home. Upon his arrival, he saw strange phenomena, dark energy surging in the tower. Another great demon was clearly present.