Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Under the big banyan tree at the village entrance, Aunt Zhao lowered her voice.

"There was indeed a haunting at the Zhong house last night. My daughter-in-law Qiaozhen heard it clearly when she got up to relieve herself in the middle of the night. Now she's scared into a fever and can't get out of bed."

The villagers knew Qiaozhen's nature—honest and timid. Given her honest and timid nature, her words were naturally believable. Those who were impatient quickly pressed for details.

"What exactly happened with the haunting? Out with it, don't let it spread to other families and disturb the village's peace. We need to invite someone to perform an exorcism early."

Aunt Zhao smoothed her hair and said mysteriously, "In my opinion, there's no need for an exorcism. Every wrong has its doer, and that doer has already fled. It shouldn't show up again."

The crowd exchanged glances. A doer? Could it be referring to the Zhong siblings? But they'd only been in the village for two days—what vengeful spirits could they have provoked?

After keeping everyone on edge long enough, Aunt Zhao began her story.

"Everyone knows that Second Master Zhong passed away in the prefectural city, and Zhong Jia Xiao Ge'er escorted the spirit back to the village, where he was left behind in Liushan Village. At the time, the Zhong family servants spread word that Xiao Ge'er had been sent here because he'd caused trouble."

Aunt Zhao paused before continuing. "But that's not true at all. Zhong Jia Xiao Ge'er was sent back because he refused to be offered to the chief clerk of the prefectural office by the Zhong family!"

"Whoa—" The crowd had only ever heard the version where Xiao Ge'er had caused trouble that required others to clean up after him. No one had expected such a shocking reversal.

"Think about it. To be forced like that right after his father's death—how deep must the enmity be? Besides, everyone in the village knows the Zhong family rose through Second Master Zhong's efforts. Even if Third Master Zhong has been helping with the business over the years, how could they treat their nephew this way right after his elder brother's passing? Xiao Ge'er wouldn't be taking any of the Zhong family property. Having benefited from Second Master Zhong's support, the least they could do is find a good family for him with a decent dowry and let him marry out. Instead, they did this and then slandered him to ruin his reputation. Even enemies wouldn't go this far."

The others were still reeling. Just the day before, when the Zhong siblings came to pay respects to Zhong Laoer, they had praised the pair for their filial piety and the third branch for their generosity. Now it turned out the truth was so vile. Someone dared to ask in disbelief, "Do you have proof for all this? Are you sure you're not making up stories?"

Aunt Zhao bristled at that. She swore, "These were all said by Fourth Miss of the Zhong family herself. Qiaozhen heard it clearly. How could it be false? Would Fourth Miss be foolish enough to slander her own family's reputation?"

At this, everyone had a good idea who the vengeful spirit was. Aunt Zhao licked her dry lips and lowered her voice further, creating a chilling atmosphere even in broad daylight.

"Fourth Miss kept shouting, 'Second Uncle, don't kill me,' and the eldest young master of the Zhong family also called out 'Second Uncle' while kowtowing for mercy. Qiaozhen even heard the sound of chains. And the sudden heavy rain last night—who's to say it wasn't Second Master Zhong's doing, trapping them there?"

"Hiss..." The listeners all drew in sharp breaths, the hair on their necks standing on end. Under the blazing sun, they couldn't help but shiver.

Everyone remembered how Zhong Yizhu and Sun Yunniang had left the old Zhong residence the day before. Zhong Yizhu's face bore tear stains, and Sun Yunniang's expression was terrible. Some had gossiped, suggesting that Zhong Yizhu had quarreled with the Zhong siblings and the mother and son couldn't even be bothered to offer basic hospitality to those who had come to pay respects to his father.

But now, it seemed more likely that the two had been bullied again, provoking Second Master Zhong's wrath and vengeance.

Still, Second Master Zhong was merciful at heart—he hadn't taken their lives, only taught them a lesson.

Everyone sighed. The third branch was vicious, and Old Madam Zhong and Old Man Zhong were both muddled. Second Master Zhong, if he knew from the underworld, must regret ever supporting this family. What a pity for Zhong Jia Xiao Ge'er, born into wealth and comfort, only to endure such hardships and ultimately marry Pei Mu, the Jinx—how tragic.

Having finished this earth-shattering revelation, Aunt Zhao listened in high spirits as the villagers cursed the third branch and the siblings. Everyone praised Fourth Miss, but she had clearly heard Zhong Youtong complaining to her servants that the food prepared by her family was pig slop. Aunt Zhao had wanted to curse back but held off, fearing trouble from the Zhong siblings and their armed servants.

This morning, she had heard the Zhong family rushing around to leave, muttering curses. When she noticed Qiaozhen's odd demeanor, she pressed for details and only then learned what had happened last night. After finishing her chores, she had hurried over to be the bearer of news.

The crowd under the big tree discussed for a long time, those with sharp tongues thoroughly tearing the third branch apart.

Some, truly frightened of ghosts and spirits, asked tremblingly, "Second Master Zhong won't go around scaring others, will he? Every wrong has its doer. We were misled by the third branch into thinking Xiao Ge'er was troublesome. Please don't come after us..."

At this, others also began to feel fear, especially those who had spoken ill of Xiao Ge'er. Aunt Zhao, remembering how she had swindled Zhong Yizhu and cursed his family for eating meat, felt a chill run down her spine.

She put on a brave face and said, "Do no wrong, fear no ghost," before quickly turning to leave.

She needed to go back and ask Qiaozhen whether Second Master Zhong had meant to scare her last night. If not, she might have to find the fortune-teller from the next village to perform an exorcism.

Later, Zhong Yizhu and Sun Yunniang returned to the old Zhong residence to clean up. Along the way, many villagers greeted them, and some even apologized, harshly denouncing the third branch and expressing sympathy for his suffering.

A journey that usually took a quarter of an hour stretched to nearly half an hour.

The yard of the old residence was a mess. The Zhong Yourong group had left in haste, abandoning many items. After Zhong Yizhu and Sun Yunniang tidied up, Zhong Yizhu gathered the abandoned items in a basket and headed to Aunt Zhao's house.

Aunt Zhao was already peeking from her yard. Seeing Zhong Yizhu approach, she quickly pretended to be busy working. Only when he called her from the gate did she look up, a hint of guilt on her face.

Zhong Yizhu held out the basket. "Thank you, Aunt Zhao, and sister-in-law Qiaozhen, for clearing up the rumors. These are things my cousins left behind. I'm not sure if you can use them—consider them a thank-you gift."

In the village, no one turned down leftover food or old items. Anything usable was valuable, especially things from the prefectural Zhong siblings. They would be sought after.

As expected, Aunt Zhao straightened up, her eyes lighting up. She wiped her hands and hurried over, smiling. "Yes, yes, we can use them. Zhu Ge'er is too kind."

With Zhong Yizhu's thanks, she no longer feared ghosts setting foot in her home. She resolved to avoid provoking his family in the future. Spotting not only food in the basket but also a well-made dress, her spirits lifted. She quickly called Qiaozhen to bring it inside.

Zhong Yizhu looked at Qiaozhen and thanked her again. Qiaozhen glanced at him, lowered her eyes, shook her head, and murmured a quiet "You're welcome" before taking the basket inside.

Soon, she returned with the empty basket. Zhong Yizhu declined Aunt Zhao's polite offer to stay for a meal and returned to the Zhong residence with the empty basket.

The purpose of Pei Mu's scheme last night was to teach Zhong Yourong and Zhong Youtong a lesson, ensuring they would never dare set foot in the village again. Whether anyone overheard or spread the news was not part of their plan.

Sun Yunniang did not want anyone to know that Zhong Yizhu had been sent off to someone. Although he had resisted and stabbed his assailant before being returned to the village, what would people make of the story? For both women and young men, reputation was paramount. But Zhong Yizhu felt it was evidence of the Zhong family's crimes. As long as Pei Mu believed in him, he had nothing to fear.

What they hadn't anticipated was that the incident was indeed overheard and spread. However, the part about Xiao Ge'er being sent off seemed deliberately obscured, replaced by the narrative that the Zhong family had intended it, but Xiao Ge'er had refused to comply.

Thus, Xiao Ge'er's reputation remained untarnished, while the Zhong family's villainy was still laid bare.

Zhong Yizhu had a feeling it was thanks to Qiaozhen.

She had left that part out, which was why Aunt Zhao's version of the story turned out the way it did.

Since Zhong Yizhu hadn't been privy to what Zhong Youtong said last night, he couldn't thank Qiaozhen directly for that specific act. But he would remember and find a way to repay her.

The haunting of the Zhong house spread like wildfire through the village. Those with the most guilty consciences and fear were Zhang Guihua, Liu Fulang, and a few others. Zhang Guihua, in particular, had spread rumors about both Zhong Yizhu and his mother. If anyone had offended them most deeply, it was her.

Those who disliked her told her to be careful at night, lest she be claimed by the ghost. Zhang Guihua cursed them back but panicked inwardly. Before dark, she packed her bags to stay with her mother's family to weather the storm. Surely the ghost couldn't find her if she wasn't in Liushan Village.

As for Zhang Tieniu, he refused to follow Zhang Guihua out of pride. But at night, he trembled in fear under his blanket. Over the next few days, the bags under his eyes grew so dark they nearly reached his chin, a clear sign of his guilty conscience.

...

The day after the Zhong siblings left Liushan Village, Pei Mu said he would take Zhong Yizhu to Songyun County.

That morning, the two packed their belongings, had a simple meal, and set off together.

Most villagers bought their daily necessities at Chuiliu Town, so trips to Songyun County were rare. There was no direct oxcart from the village to Songyun County.

To get to Songyun County, one either walked or took an oxcart to Chuiliu Town first and then another oxcart to Songyun County. But since Chuiliu Town was off route, this saved some walking but took about the same time.

Many villagers were frugal to the point of pinching every copper. Even the two-copper fare to Chuiliu Town was an expense they would rather save by walking, let alone spending money on a detour.

Pei Mu, with his long legs and fast pace, always walked, even when carrying game. But today, he led Zhong Yizhu straight to the village's oxcart stop. Zhong Yizhu, unaware of the nuances, simply followed wherever Pei Mu went.

Since there was no market day in Chuiliu Town, there were few early travelers. The oxcart was still empty. Old Zhang, the driver, was surprised to see Pei Mu taking the cart for the first time. When he noticed the live deer Pei Mu was leading, his eyes widened.

Wow, how much silver would that be worth?

Hadn't the villagers always said Pei Mu couldn't make much from hunting? Had he struck it rich?

Pei Mu, with the deer and a basket, was taking up extra space. Old Zhang hesitated whether to ask Pei Mu for more money; if he didn't, he'd lose out, but if he did, he feared offending the Jinx.

But Pei Mu spoke first: "How much do you charge to take us to Songyun County?"

Old Zhang was taken aback: "Just the two of you? Charter the cart?"

Pei Mu nodded: "Drop us off and you can leave. No need to wait. You can go back to Chuiliu Town to pick up more passengers."

Old Zhang did a quick calculation in his mind, didn't dare overcharge, and gave a fair price: "Twenty coppers. How does that sound?"

Pei Mu nodded: "Let's go."

The two of them and the deer climbed into the cart. Old Zhang cracked his whip and headed off toward Songyun County.

The two behind him chatted in low voices. Old Zhang clicked his tongue inwardly. His cart hardly ever got chartered once a year. Everyone said Pei Mu was poor, yet here he was throwing money around—probably because he'd finally hunted a wild deer and was eager to sell it for a good price.

The beginning of autumn was near, and the mornings and evenings had turned chilly. As the ox cart rattled along the village road, Zhong Yizhu blew on his hands. Pei Mu noticed from the corner of his eye and turned to ask, "Cold?"

Zhong Yizhu shook his head: "I'm fine."

Pei Mu moved forward to block the wind for him. After a moment's thought, he took two furs from his back basket and wrapped Zhong Yizhu's hands up tight.

Today, he had brought out all the furs he had saved up. Once autumn arrived, shops and households would start making winter clothes, so this was the best time to sell furs; the prices would be good.

Zhong Yizhu's hands were wrapped up like mittens, and his cuffs were tightly secured. It was indeed very warm. With his hands tucked away, he turned to look at the scenery on both sides of the road, but he couldn't help feeling a little nervous, wondering if he'd sell his first batch of incense pills today.

When the two left home, the sun hadn't risen yet, but by the time they reached Songyun County, the place was already lively and noisy.

Most of the shops on the street had opened. Early-rising diners had finished their breakfast; some were strolling along the street, while others hurried off to work.

The streets were wide and lined with all sorts of shops. Passing by some stores, one could even see merchant caravans loading goods. It was indeed several times more bustling and lively than Chuiliu Town.

Zhong Yizhu carried his basket and first followed Pei Mu to a restaurant to sell the deer, then to a cloth shop to sell the furs.

Early autumn was the perfect time for nourishing foods, and Pei Mu had chosen his timing well. Both items sold quickly. After leaving the cloth shop, he emptied his bamboo basket, slung it over his shoulder, and took the basket from Zhong Yizhu's hand. After getting his bearings, he said, "Follow me."

Songyun County was a hub for water transport. The West Market, close to the dock, was extremely lively.

Zhong Yizhu didn't rush to rent a stall. He first walked around, then chose a spot next to a jewelry stall. He paid the clerk eight coppers for the stall space, claimed his spot, and received a number plate.

Pei Mu somehow fetched a table from somewhere. Zhong Yizhu took out a patchwork cloth made from various fabric scraps and spread it on the table. Then he took out a porcelain bottle of incense pills, placed a few palm-sized small bamboo baskets, lined them with cloth, and poured some incense pills onto them.

The jewelry stall owner had been curiously watching the young married couple, wondering what business they planned to do. Seeing Zhong Yizhu set things up so meticulously, he became interested and leaned over to start a conversation.

"Oh, you're selling incense pills?"

Zhong Yizhu nodded and replied with a smile, "That's right. Are you also a fragrance lover, boss?"

A smile always made a favorable impression. The jewelry stall owner laughed and waved his hand: "Not really, not really. I've just seen others selling them."

While talking, Zhong Yizhu kept working. After arranging the incense pills in front, he spread a plain-colored cloth behind and laid out the scented sachets he had made one by one. The whole stall looked unique and attractive.

The jewelry stall owner had originally looked away, thinking that as long as they weren't selling the same kind of goods to compete with him, it was fine. But now he couldn't help glancing over repeatedly—how could someone else's stall look so lovely...

Zhong Yizhu turned back and looked at Pei Mu. Pei Mu was also looking at him.

Zhong Yizhu stepped forward and tied a scented sachet onto Pei Mu's belt. Meeting Pei Mu's puzzled gaze, he smiled.

"How can we sell something we don't use ourselves?"

Pei Mu looked down at the sachet on his belt. It was made of dark blue silk, embroidered with the five poisonous creatures for warding off evil. The stitching was fine, and the pattern was vivid.

Meanwhile, Zhong Yizhu took a soft breath as he looked at his stall, then began to hawk his wares to the bustling street.

"Incense pills for sale! The trendy ones from Rongyang Prefecture—all kinds of scents!"

Zhong Yizhu had a pleasant voice, and even his loud hawking sounded nice. His clear voice immediately drew many eyes.

"Oh, this stall is so unique!"

"What are incense pills, Mom? Are they good to eat?"

"Sis, sis, let's go check out those incense pills—they say they're trendy in Rongyang Prefecture."

Soon, several people gathered in front of Zhong Yizhu's stall.

Earlier, when Zhong Yizhu had walked around the market, he had counted three stalls selling incense pills or other fragrances. It was clear that Songyun County had a much higher appreciation for fragrances than Chuiliu Town.

After asking around about prices, Zhong Yizhu raised his original price to twenty-three coppers.

The first customer was a beautifully dressed young lady from a wealthy family. Seeing her curiously scanning the table, Zhong Yizhu gestured and said, "Miss, you can pick them up and smell them to see if there's a scent you like. This one is peach-scented—sweet and refreshing, very fitting for your temperament."

The young lady first smelled the peach-scented pill he mentioned, then picked up and smelled all the others. With a look of pleasant surprise, she turned to the young man beside her and said, "Second Brother, I think this little stall's incense pills smell even better than the ones from Liu's Fragrance Shop!"

The young man smiled: "If you say so, then it's so. Which one do you like? I'll buy it for you."

The two didn't even ask the price, clearly well-to-do. The young lady cheerfully picked two and, before leaving, asked Zhong Yizhu if he would always be here at this stall.

Zhong Yizhu honestly answered that he wasn't sure yet, and the young lady looked a little disappointed.

"If you like them, I can bring you some when I go to Rongyang Prefecture next time. What are you sighing about?"

"You've brought me some before, but I like these better."

"Alright, alright, we'll buy from here then. He just said he's not sure, not that he won't be back..."

The two walked away chatting. Zhong Yizhu, however, had no time to revel in the joy of making a first sale and already having a regular. As soon as the young lady left, he quickly started helping new customers.

His incense pills were much more popular than he had imagined.

The West Market was bustling, and this beautiful little stall quickly attracted many people.

Zhong Yizhu was busy answering questions from curious customers, lifting the containers displaying the pills for them to smell, and carefully explaining which scents matched different personalities and which ones were appropriate for gifts.

He completely forgot his earlier anxiety about not selling any incense pills, and shook off his insecurity that had grown from years of being belittled and dismissed.

He patiently explained the type of each incense pill, knew exactly how long each pill's scent would last before fading away completely under different conditions, and knew what each pill smelled like at every stage.

Pei Mu stood behind, watching Zhong Yizhu's busy figure from behind.

It suddenly hit him that Zhong Yizhu would never be a beautiful bird caught to be looked at. Even if briefly trapped, he would eventually break out of his cage and soar.

He was like Second Master Zhong—clever, kind, and gifted.

He was just down on his luck for now, but that didn't mean he'd be stuck in this little mountain village forever.

Once he was ready to fly, that's when he'd leave.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Quit sighing, man. Our Little Bamboo is swamped; why don't you go help him?

Thanks for the mines and nutrient fluid~ Sorry, my home had a power outage all day today; I'm really exhausted.