Inside the county yamen’s duty office.
“Sigh, what an utter tragedy. Out of the entire family, only a single young woman survived,” Wang Hu lamented, shaking his head.
“Enough! Why are you wasting time sighing? Hurry up and find the coroner! We need to know how the family died and what weapon was used. The County Magistrate gave us five days to crack this case. If we don’t catch the culprit, every last one of you in the Fast Constable squad can prepare your backsides for the wooden cane!”
Head Constable Liu paced back and forth across the room with a thunderous scowl, his brow knit tight.
He turned toward Gu Qingyun and Bai Fan.
“Constable Gu, Constable Bai, did you notice anything unusual when you discovered the scene?”
“No. We were just patrolling near the Yun residence when Sister Yun’s sharp nose caught the scent of blood drifting from inside. By the time we broke in, there wasn't a living soul left in the main courtyard. Heavens, blood flooded the entire room, and the corpses' eyes were bulging wide...”
Recalling that heavy, metallic stench of blood, Bai Fan felt a knot tighten in his chest, and he couldn't help dry-heaving a couple of times.
Gu Qingyun nodded in agreement.
“It was pretty much as Bai Fan said. Neither of us spotted any suspicious persons, nor did we encounter anything out of the ordinary.”
Head Constable Liu mulled it over and bluntly remarked, “Having no suspects is the biggest anomaly of all. Why would the killer butcher the whole Yun family while sparing Yun Yanxi alone? Could it be... that she's the murderer?”
Gu Qingyun couldn't help but admire his sharpness. A seasoned constable indeed; he immediately zeroed in on the crux of the matter.
“Old Liu, don't go pinning wrongful blame on an innocent soul. The cause of death for the Yun family has already been determined, and that lass isn't the culprit.”
A voice drifted in from the doorway as a skinny, wizened old man in his fifties stepped inside.
“The murderer is the master of the Yun household himself, Yun Dagang. Every death came from the blade gripped in his hand. His two younger sons took over a dozen stab wounds each, while his eldest son and the rest all had their throats slit. After butchering his entire family, Yun Dagang used that very knife to end his own life.
“As for why he spared the Yun girl, it was likely because she was just an unmarried lass living in a remote courtyard.
“Of course, as for why he did it or what his motive was, you boys will have to investigate that yourselves.”
Hearing the old coroner's assessment, Head Constable Liu’s eyes darted thoughtfully, his furrowed brow instantly relaxing. Without hesitation, he made the final call:
“Then we rule it as this: Yun Dagang ingested Five Minerals Powder and suffered hallucinations. In a drug-induced frenzy, he slaughtered his wife and sons. Upon coming to his senses and seeing his family dead by his own hand, he was overcome with remorse and took his own life at home.
“Old Yang, in a moment, you’ll sign and press your thumbprint onto the autopsy record regarding the Yun family’s deaths.”
With the culprit already dead, why waste time and effort digging deeper? Close the case on the spot!
The old coroner nodded. And just like that, before a single day had even passed, the Yun family case was brought to a swift conclusion.
Standing nearby, Gu Qingyun fell silent.
Perhaps this was for the best. Let those sins remain buried beneath the earth, sparing the young miss of the Yun family from venomous gossip. Had the public learned of her tragic plight, who knew what salacious rumors and sordid tales they would spin?
...
Over at the Zhu residence.
Ever since barely escaping with his life from the pleasure boat, Zhu Cairui had obediently stayed at home to nurse his health over the past few days. The physician had warned him strictly against carnal indulgence. Treasuring his fragile life, he followed the advice to the letter.
He possessed a pale complexion, and looking past his somewhat frail frame, he appeared every bit the refined young gentleman.
Having just finished a few rounds of Five Animal Frolics in the courtyard, hunger was gnawing at him. He sat at the dining table with his wife and children, waiting and waiting, but his father never showed up. Downing two cups of tea, he couldn't help but grumble:
“Mother, why isn't Father here yet? I’m starving, and so are your precious grandsons.”
The matriarch seated at the head of the table frowned.
“Mama Liu, go hurry him along. Go see which maid's bed the master is lingering in, and ask why he hasn't come to dine yet.”
Just as Mama Liu turned to leave, Steward Luo hurried into the room.
“Madam, the master said he will not be joining you for the meal. He has a headache and needs to rest.”
Madam Zhu let out a cold, mocking sneer.
“A headache? More like he’s glued to the belly of some little vixen! Having several bedchamber maids at home isn't enough; he has to sneak around chasing wild game outside. Isn't he afraid of draining his body dry?”
The more she spoke, the angrier she grew. Madam Zhu slammed her Ru ware teacup onto the table with a sharp clatter.
“I’ve told him countless times: once a man gets old, he needs to cultivate tranquility and restrain his desires! Does he still think he’s young and vigorous? It’s a good thing he still has enough sense not to saddle me with a bastard son, or I’d never let him hear the end of it!”
Madam Zhu had good reason to speak so boldly. Though her maiden family wasn't particularly wealthy, her brother was ambitious and accomplished; he had already passed the provincial exams as a Juren and even purchased a seventh-rank official post. If the Zhu family dared mistreat her or her children, they would never hear the end of it.
Steward Luo lowered his head, wishing he could clamp his hands over his ears. This was hardly something a servant should be listening to.
After venting her temper, the madam patted her two grandsons beside her.
“Xiao Ning, Xiao Yuan, no need to wait for your grandfather. Let's eat.”
Turning back with a stern expression, she glared at her son.
“Didn't you say you were hungry? Eat up! Take this as a lesson—don't you dare pick up your father's wretched habits, or I’ll have you disciplined by family law.”
Once the meal was over, Madam Zhu instructed her daughter-in-law to take the two children back to their courtyard. She rose to her feet.
“Steward Luo, lead the way. Let me go see what sort of illness the master has cooked up this time.”
Steward Luo led Madam Zhu straight to the study. Seeing that he was indeed in the study, Madam Zhu became somewhat inclined to believe her husband truly felt unwell.
Mama Liu pushed open the door first, and Madam Zhu stepped inside alone. Hearing footsteps, Master Zhu barked angrily from beneath the quilts:
“I said I’m not seeing anyone! Get out, all of you!”
His tone was harsh, yet beneath the bluster lay unmistakable panic and dread.
He had good reason to be terrified. Last night, he had dreamed of Yun Yanxi. In the dream, just as he was about to lay hands on her, that beautiful face suddenly contorted into a hideous ghost, scaring him half to death.
The female ghost had stared at him malevolently for a long time. Finally, she raised a hand, slapped his body, left behind a warning, and vanished. He had assumed it was merely a nightmare.
Remembering the female ghost's words, he deliberately visited his bedchamber maid that morning. Only then did he discover to his utter horror that it had not been a dream. A female ghost had truly visited him—and she had ruined him as a man.
Shivering with lingering dread, Master Zhu had refused to leave the study ever since.
Madam Zhu sat down by the edge of the couch.
“Master, what's gotten into you? Why are you trembling like that?”
Catching sight of his wife, Master Zhu crawled out from beneath the blankets and clung to her tightly. The rank stench of sweat wafting from him made Madam Zhu roll her eyes in disgust.
“Madam, I encountered a ghost! A female ghost stared at me in my dreams all night!”
Madam Zhu pulled away with visible distaste.
“Have you lost your mind? What female ghost?”
Master Zhu rambled in a frantic, incoherent babble:
“It’s true! That female ghost said I relied on my wealth to sleep around, so she was going to teach me a lesson. She just touched me right there, and... she ruined me! I can't get it up anymore!”
Madam Zhu’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“You're saying a female ghost made you impotent? Could it just be in your head?”
Seeing that she didn't believe him, Master Zhu grew frantic.
“It’s true! I went to Biyu’s room this morning, and it had no reaction at all!”
Biyu was Master Zhu’s newly taken bedchamber maid. Delicate, charming, and gentle, she had recently become Master Zhu’s favorite, and he spent every night in her quarters.
Although the law forbade commoners from taking concubines, where there was a policy above, there was a workaround below. Bedchamber maids did not legally count as concubines, so wealthy households typically kept several.
Hearing this, Madam Zhu raised her handkerchief to hide the corners of her mouth curving upward. Putting on an appearance of deep concern, she said:
“Don't worry, Master. We’ll summon a physician to give you a thorough examination. Surely it's nothing that can't be fixed.”
Master Zhu wore a face of utter despair.
“It’s useless. I slipped out quietly this morning to see a doctor. He said he was powerless and told me to cultivate tranquility and curb my desires.”
Madam Zhu nearly burst out laughing. Impotent! This was marvelous news—her golden days had finally arrived!
After a moment of silence, Madam Zhu rose to her feet.
“Very well. In a little while, I’ll have the kitchen prepare some light, easily digestible food for you. Your health comes first.”
Stepping out of the study, she looked at Steward Luo standing by the door.
“Comfort the master properly and make sure he gets plenty of rest.”
As soon as Madam Zhu left, Steward Luo tiptoed into the study.
“Master, right after this servant returned, the madam summoned me, so I couldn't report sooner. Something terrible happened at the Yun household—the place you visited before. The entire family, save for the young miss, was slaughtered! The yamen has already closed the case; they ruled that Yun Dagang went mad from taking Five Minerals Powder and butchered his own family.”
Master Zhu turned pale with fright.
“How could this be?!”
His eyes widened in sheer horror. There was definitely a ghost! That ghost had slaughtered the Yun family!
No, he couldn't stay here any longer. He had to go to a Daoist temple and pray!
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