Strong Winds Return Home

Liu Meng lived across the street from Mou Cuihua, less than fifty paces away. The courtyard door was wide open at this time, and he was sitting on the steps and basking in the sun while tears strips of bamboo. There were many colorful papers piled up beside him, and when he heard movement outside, he called without lifting his eyes: “Dad, Mom, you’re back.”

Liang Shu and Liu Xian’an stood in front of him.

Liu Meng’s eyes caught on the hems of their clothes, and his hands paused for a moment. He gave an inward groan. Slowly raising his head, he saw that they were indeed the old acquaintances from the night before, so he drove them away in a low voice: “Isn’t it okay to pretend that we’ve never met? My parents will be back soon, so hurry and leave.”

Liang Shu said: “We were passing by and came in to ask for a cup of water.”

Liu Meng was not easy to deceive, so he narrowed his eyes and said: “Did that stingy Mou Cuihua not pour water for you just now?”

Judging by his tone of voice, the relationship between the two families was not very good, and it could be seen that Aunt Mou had really offended the entire city from east to west. Liu Xian’an casually picked up a pinwheel from the ground: “You made these to sell them?”

“What does it look like?” Liu Meng continued to cut lantern wire. “I’m dismantling them, not making them. The Many-Color Festival has been canceled, and these things won’t be needed in the short term, so they’ll take up less space if they’re dismantled and stored. If you like them, just pick a few to play with. No need to pay, just leave quickly.”

Liu Xian’an really liked them. He could play with some, but he couldn’t leave quickly. He looked at the courtyard. It was very big, with a simple warehouse on the left half. There were a lot of messy goods piled up inside, along with some gongs and drums covered with blankets to shield them from the rain. Liu Meng originally didn’t want to deal with these two people further, but seeing him looking left and right, his brain really buzzed, so he simply stood up to chase the guests away.

There was the squeak of wheels outside the gate.

A middle-aged couple entered with a small cart, and were taken aback to see guests in their home. Liu Meng hurriedly said: “I don’t know these two people, they’re here to ask for water.”

Liang Shu gave a slight nod, and Liu Xian’an said: “Sorry to bother you two.”

Uncle Liu wasn’t eloquent, but Aunt Liu could still speak a few words. She asked her man to unload the cart, and smiled at the guests: “When I was doing my work in the morning, I heard that two rich and noble foreign young masters had come to the city. Please sit down, I will have A-Meng make tea.” While speaking, she took a basket of bright red dried meat from the cart and invited the two of them to eat. After Liu Xian’an declined, she brought out two red eggs dyed with fresh flower juice.

“A lot of food.” Liu Xian’an glanced at the cart. “Is there a wedding at home?”

“A-Meng is a bachelor, this is no such happy event,” Aunt Liu said. “I’m a servant at Master Yu’s residence. He originally had this food prepared for the Flowing Water Banquet of the Many-Color Festival. They will spoil if left unattended, so the Madam rewarded us all today.”

Master Yu’s name was Yu Cong, and he had one of the wealthiest households in the city. Although he was very old, his body was strong, and he often kicked the shuttlecock in the streets with the little children. He usually looked like a big child who was out of tune, but he was reliable for the big things. This time, the city was haunted by a ghost, and the government could do nothing about it. It was also him who invited a wizard from other places, and he spent a lot of money.

“Has the wizard come?”

“Not yet, but I heard that he is psychic, so he must be able to catch the female ghost.”

“Auntie.” Liu Xian’an carried a stool over. “You also hope the wizard will catch Wan-guniang? I heard that she didn’t do any evil deeds during her lifetime. She’s not eating people now, just wandering around the city. Perhaps she is looking for her father, and if she can’t find him, she’ll leave.”

Hearing this, Aunt Liu hesitated, and then sighed: “That’s right, she was a good child.”

“Can you tell us about her?” Liu Xian’an continued to ask, “As for the matter of catching ghosts, me and…..” He glanced at the prince. Naturally, he couldn’t address him as the prince at this time, so he said, “Me and my gege know a little bit.”

He said it purely, but His Royal Highness Xiao Wang didn’t hear it purely, and actually managed to glean a hint of forbidden secrets from this one simple word. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t heard of such indecent things in those sandy and windy tea shacks in the northeast while leading his soldiers. But he only listened to them and forgot after a while, only feeling very bored and not understanding what there was to be happy about. Now that he had a sweetheart, he mulled over a bit of ambiguity that couldn’t be understood by outsiders.

But before he could think about it, there were noisy footsteps on the long street. Uncle Liu poked out his head to take a look, then immediately closed the door and said in a panic: “It’s the group of officials who are usually out catching ghosts, and they seem to be headed right for our house!”

“What are they doing at our house?” Aunt Liu turned pale with fright. Liu Meng threw away the things in his hands. “I’ll go have a look!”

“A-Meng!” She reached out to grab him, but the officials had already barged in, and she was so frightened that she quickly pulled her son aside to hide him. 

After the officials lined up neatly in two rows, a man walked in and asked: “It’s you two who were poking around the city?”

He was a local magistrate named Dan Qing. Huaizhen City was haunted by a ghost, and all the foreigners had left in a hurry. But this group of people not only didn’t leave, they even rented an inn and questioned people all over the city about the female ghost. It was really suspicious, so he simply brought troops to interrogate them himself.

“There is a bulletin posted in the city that says those who catch the female ghost will be rewarded,” Liang Shu said. “We want to earn this silver, so naturally, we must work hard.”

Dan Qing didn’t believe it. Considering the cost of booking an inn, and the clothing of the two people before him, no matter how he looked at it, they didn’t appear to be ordinary ghost hunters. “Since it is for the reward, why didn’t you go to Yu Manor upon first entering the city?”

“We inquired around first to see if this ghost would be easy to catch.” Liu Xian’an said, “If it wasn’t easy to catch, we wouldn’t bother with it further, and we could avoid having to bargain with Master Yu.”

The two sang the same tune, and what they said was perfunctory and reasonable. Dan Qing’s expression became worse and worse. He knew that there was a ghost, and there wasn’t any excuse to drive them out of the city, so he said: “Then you’ve finished investigating now. Can the ghost be caught or not?”

“It can be caught.” Liang Shu nodded. “Please take us to Yu Manor to discuss the matter of payment.”

“Bold!” An officer next to him reprimanded, “Who are you to tell a lord to lead the way?”

“Magistrates and officials should make decisions on behalf of the common people. Now that Huaizhen City is haunted, people are panicking. Since we can catch ghosts, Dan-daren doesn’t even want to lead the way?” Liang Shu’s eyes were slightly cold, and with just one glance, the officer was covered in sweat. He retreated awkwardly and didn’t speak again.

Dan Qing couldn’t figure out the identity of these two people for the time being, so he could only judge from their accents that they were from the north, and the most well-known folk rumor about the north was that if you dropped a brick from the wall of the capital and hit ten people, eight of them would be high officials. He was cautious and prudent, and already had some guesses about these “high officials in modest attire,” so he adjusted his attitude and said: “Since the two of you intend to hunt the ghost, what is your plan?”

Liu Xian’an asked: “After the haunting started, did the government check Wan-guniang’s grave?”

Dan Qing shook his head: “We didn’t dig it up, just went to see it. The ghost crawled out on a rainy night and lightning blasted the grave into a big hole surrounded by wooden slag.”

Liu Xian’an said: “I want to open the tomb to see if the bones are still inside.”

The people around looked at each other in blank dismay. Digging up a grave was one of the most immoral things, and this was not a criminal case. Was there really any need for an autopsy? Dig up the grave and if the bones were gone, there was a haunting, and if the bones were still there, it was also a haunting. Wasn’t this a waste of time?

Dan Qing readily agreed. The Wan family has no relatives in the city, it is a lonely grave, dig as you please, ba. He didn’t have to offend others over this kind of thing. Thus, he immediately sent someone to fetch a fellow, and taking advantage of the bright sunlight during the day, he went along with Liang Shu and Liu Xian’an to dig up a grave outside the city.

Liu Meng and other bold young people in the city also followed. Under the sunlight, the scorched black tomb didn’t look so frightening. The tombstone was tilted, with only half remaining, the other half having been blasted to nothing by the lightning. Liang Shu smelled the very faint scent of kerosene and tilted his head, warning softly, “Explosives.”

“There should be no thunderstorms in the southwest this season,” Liu Xian’an said. “The tomb was not pierced by lightning, but blasted open with explosives.”

Only the layer of soil on the surface was blown away, but the coffin was still intact. It could be seen that the person who used the kerosene was not attempting to steal graveyard property, but simply wanted to create the illusion of a haunting. But having said that, the Wan family father and daughter had gone crazy and died that year, and even this coffin was donated by Master Yu, so it was impossible for it to contain anything of value.

The nails were pried open, and there were neat white bones in the coffin. Liu Xian’an covered his mouth and nose with a cloth towel and took a closer look, then frowned slightly.

Liang Shu asked: “What is it?”

Liu Xian’an said: “This doesn’t appear to be Wan-guniang’s body.”

Everyone around was taken aback at these words, and Liu Meng squeezed ahead: “Can you tell this sort of thing? It can’t be a man’s bones.”

“It is a woman, but a woman who has given birth to a child.” Liu Xian’an asked, “Did Wan-guiniang give birth to a child?”

Everyone shook their heads, and an elderly gentleman also firmly denied it. Wan Yuan and the hunter had lived on the mountain together for two months. Later, when the hunter left and there was no news of him, Wan Yuan returned to the city and waited less than three months before dying in prison. This was a total of five to six months, so how could there have been time for a baby?

Liu Xian’an said: “But this skeleton did give birth, it can be seen from the pelvis.”

Someone in the crowd slapped their thighs. No wonder there was grievance enough to crawl out while the sky exploded with thunder, ah! A person with no name was buried in this wilderness as Wan Yuan, with not even someone to burn paper for them, so why not float around to seek justice?

“But……but everyone who saw her said she looked like Wan Yuan back then, how can this be explained? And where did the real Wan Yuan go?”

Liu Xian’an also wasn’t clear, so he asked: “Can we still look up files from years ago?”

Dan Qing was looking at the bones, and thought it was himself being addressed when he heard this, but before he could raise his head to speak, someone answered: “We can.”

“……..”

Liang Shu looked at Dan Qing.

Dan Qing immediately nodded: “Yes, of course.”

He was well-versed in the methods of officialdom, and was determined not to find trouble for himself. Since he didn’t know the identities of these two people, then he would treat them as someone he couldn’t afford to offend. As long as the other party’s request was not excessive, even if he agreed to everything – the case had happened seven or eight years ago, and had nothing to do with him, so why bother to make a fuss? 

When everyone returned to the government office, the skeleton was placed in the autopsy room as it was. The coroner examined it, and said that the shape of the bones could only occur after giving birth. All the old files from seven or eight years ago were dug out, and there were also records of people who disappeared over those years, totaling to about one hundred. Liu Xian’an stood in the doorway and asked: “This Huaizhen City doesn’t look very big. How could so many people go missing?”

“Those who disappeared were all children and women. There was a drought in those years and a bad harvest, and public security was not good. There were traffickers everywhere.” The old man in charge of the files said, “There were also those who walked up and kidnapped people in broad daylight. It was not uncommon. The past two years have been much better.”

He spoke with a heavy accent that Liu Xian’an could barely understand, so he didn’t ask further questions. After the old man left, the two entered the room, and before turning over two pages of the files, Liu Xian’an was so choked that he sneezed more than a dozen times. Liang Shu covered his mouth and nose and carried him outside: “I’ll have someone read through them, you can’t do this work.”

Second Young Master Liu: “Achoo!”

Liang Shu laughed, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, and wiped his red nose. When Gao Lin came in, he saw this intimate scene and took a deep breath. Feeling that he would go blind sooner or later, he said: “I will leave immediately.”

“What are you doing, come back,” Liang Shu said. “I was about to look for you.”

Gao Lin was very vigilant. You’re being so friendly, what do you want me for?

Liang Shu pointed to the room: “Go and read through the files, then tidy them up and come see me.”

Gao Lin looked inside and got a headache. He was not afraid of dust, but this made him dizzy. Writing three pages of military reports in the northwest almost required him to lay down and rest five times. So he urged in a low voice, how can I do this job, this place is quiet and no one is here. Shouldn’t Second Young Master Liu go through the files? The prince has red sleeves next to him……they’re not really red, but that’s pretty much what it means. Grinding ink and adding fragrance, romantic to the end.[1]

Unmoved, Liang Shu kicked him through the door: “Tomorrow at this time, if it is poorly organized, one year’s salary will be deducted.”

Lieutenant General Gao: The heart is bitter.

After leaving the dusty study, Liu Xian’an’s nose felt much better. He was still holding the used handkerchief in his hand, and he naturally couldn’t return it, so he folded it and placed it in a small pouch, saying: “I’ll compensate the prince.”

Liang Shu smiled: “All right.”

He liked this little trick of exchanging things with one another, kneading their lives together bit by bit. And Liu Xian’an also enjoyed it very much. The big, fluffy quilt was his favorite thing at the moment, and he truly wished he could wrap himself in it for ten hours a day, fully confirming his title as a Sleeping Immortal.

The only downside was that the sandalwood fragrance had gradually faded, and was so faint that it could barely be smelled. Once A-Ning saw him frowning and sighing, and asked: “Which sage did the young master lose an argument with?”

“I didn’t, that isn’t it.” Liu Xian’an said, “I was thinking that this quilt doesn’t smell as good as before.”

A-Ning didn’t expect that his young master had not been floating off just now, and was thinking about such a practical thing, so he also went to smell it. “After we got this quilt, we didn’t smoke it with incense specially. There is only a little sandalwood scent. If you like it, then we will find someone to smoke it again.”

“Don’t.” Liu Xian’an stopped him. “It’s not the same.”

A-Ning thought he was talking about different fragrances, and just said: “Then I’ll ask Lieutenant General Gao what type of incense the prince uses. It would be better if I could get some……wu.”

Liu Xian’an pinched his mouth relatively flat and stared at it for a moment. He thought it was quite amusing, so he let go with a smile. A-Ning was very innocent and didn’t know what happened, but seeing his young master smiling so happily, he followed suit. The two smiled inexplicably for a while, and A-Ning said: “But the prince is always giving the young master things, so maybe the sandalwood will be delivered one day, and there will be no need to make a special trip.”

Liu Xian’an didn’t have many friends in this world, so he naturally had not received any proper gifts – in fact, having said that, the gifts the prince gave were not very proper, but he couldn’t put them down, and kept everything by his side like a squirrel hoarding food. A-Ning saw his young master’s innocently happy look, and was joyful, but it was also a little sad and pitiful, so he said: “Actually, Liu-furen and the Third Young Lady have also given the young master a lot of good things.”

“It’s not the same,” Liu Xian’an said.

His mother treated him as a child, and the things A-Yuan gave, though expensive and carefully selected, were truly useless. For example, an exquisite wooden bird that could flap its wings and fly high had been purchased at a sky-high price in the market. Liu Nanyuan bought it with great difficulty, and immediately held it in both hands to celebrate her second brother’s birthday: “Look, isn’t it rare?”

Liu Xian’an saw through all the mechanics at a glance, and thought in confusion, what is the rush? I can make twenty of them in a day, and if Da-ge doesn’t scold me with that ruler for not working properly, it is possible to make thirty.

Thus, Liu Nanyuan happily took the bird away after giving the gift, and played with it herself.

Liu Xian’an was not bothered. He had no need to accept gifts.

A-Ning quickly folded the quilt and said: “It’s really great that the young master met His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.”

He had said these words more than a dozen times on the way, so much so that Second Young Master Liu couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. It really was great. Regardless of whether it was a normal person or a forty-eight thousand-year-old immortal, he would naturally yearn for “good things,” so he came to a decision: “Then let’s follow the prince all the time.”

He finished speaking, and before the boy could utter a sound, he pinched his mouth again.

A-Ning was speechless. I didn’t say anything about the prince getting married this time, what am I guilty of?

“Don’t talk about it in the future.” Liu Xian’an let go of his grip. “The prince said he won’t marry.”

A-Ning saw through it at a glance: “Which prince, the one in your dreams doesn’t count.”

Liu Xian’an listened but did not hear, and fell down on the bed.

Asleep.

[1] This whole reference comes from the poem “Mr. Shou Jianzhai,” in which there is a passage of a man in green clothes grinding ink while a woman with red sleeves accompanies him. Gao Lin just kind of……butchers it. ⮐