Chapter 7
The Mysterious Guest
(1)
Once Zhan Tianhong left, Shen Ying headed for Ouyang Manor, shooting Ge Gensheng a look before he left.
× × ×
Zhao Siniang listened quietly to Shen Ying’s analysis, her fair as a flower face drained of color. This outcome was really not what she was expecting, and it left her shaken. A long time later, she was still opened-mouthed, incredulous.
Shen Ying took out the secret letter from the gold phoenix hairpin. “Once Madame has read this you will know that this old fellow has said is true.”
They were in Ouyang Changshou’s study, just Shen Ying and Zhao Siniang the two of them. Zhao Siniang read the secret letter, trembling all the while, and muttered, “It really is retribution, really is retribution. Such a pity it cost my son his life for no reason!”
Shen Ying said, “Madame doesn’t have any more questions?”
Zhao Siniang nodded blankly.
“For this case, this old fellow will collect 40,000 taels of silver.”
“This widow will pay as charged. Your Excellency, please wait a moment and this widow will get the silver drafts.”
“Hang on,” Shen Ying said. “This old fellow has something to ask Madame.”
Surprised, Zhao Siniang said, “What else does Your Excellency wish to say?”
“Your son and daughter-in-law’s case, does Madame still believe the killer is Sima Cheng?”
“If not him then who?”
Shen Ying’s expression hardened. “All this old fellow knows right now is that Sima Cheng is not the killer, but I don’t yet know who the killer is.”
Zhao Siniang said, “You want this widow to turn the case over to you?”
“Yes.” Shen Ying said, “Doesn’t Madame want to find out who the true killer is? If you mistakenly kill Sima Cheng, will that let your son rest in peace?”
Zhao Siniang suddenly trembled, and after a while stammered, “But… we’ve already killed Sima Qianjun and his wife. This widow has already decided not to go after Sima Cheng. Ai, ever since Changshou’s death I have lost all heart. As the saying goes: Enmity ought to be dispelled, not held onto. Besides…”
“Beisdes, Madame fears that once the truth comes out, if Sima Cheng is not the killer, he won’t matters rest with the Ouyangs and Zhaos?”
Zhao Siniang was silent. After a good lone while she heaved a long sigh.
“That’s another matter. Whether or not Sima Cheng gets revenge is one thing, finding out who really killed your son is another!”
Zhao Siniang suddenly said, “If Sima Cheng wants to get revenge, then let him! How much can he do just one person? He can’t get through the Ouyangs and the Zhaos!”
“Madame, this old fellow already said that that’s another matter.”
“Alright, I’ll follow you and pay you when the work is done.” Zhao Siniang said, “But if the killer still turns out to be Sima Cheng, our humble manor aren’t going to pay anything!Then how will Yue Excellency handle it?”
Shen Ying smiled. Sunlight streamed in through the window and onto his bald head, which shone and flashed. “This old fellow will personally tie him up and deliver him to your esteemed manor.”
Zhao Siniang pulled over a chair and sat down. “How will Your Excellency conduct the investigation?”
“This old fellow wants to reinspect your son and daughter-in-law’s room where they were murdered.”
Zhao Siniang’s eye sockets reddened. “Allow this widow to lead the way. Your Excellency, this way please!”
× × ×
The newlywed chamber was decorated just as it had been on that day, dazzlingly bright red.
Shen Ying calmly looked the place over carefully, then said, “Madame, though this old fellow was not there on your son’s joyous day, I can imagine it. It must have been unusually lively, and there must have been a lot of honored guests. Let me ask you, were there any guets who were unfamiliar to you, or who particularly stood out to you?”
Zhao Siniang gave a wry smile. “There were up to 2,000 guests, how could this widow pay attention to them all?”
“That is a bit thorny.” Shen Ying thought about this and said, “Were all of the guests friends and relatives of your esteemed manor? This old fellow means, were there any Madame’s family invited?”
“No,” Zhao Siniang answered quickly. “My husband treated my family as a son-in-law should, but other than that he didn’t like to get top involved, lest peoiple think that hemarried this widow in order to take advantage of the Zhao family’s power and influence.”
After a pause, she suddenly remembered something. “Oh yes, there was also a guestbook. Your Excellency, please have a seat, this widow will get it for You Excellency to study.”
Shen Ying was delighted. “There will certainly be a clue there!”
× × ×
Eight people were fully occupying an eight-immortals table in the main hall. Besides Shen Ying and Zhao Sinaing there was also five of the Ouyang clan heads, and one guardhouse foreman surnamed Chu.
Every one of the 2,000 guests’ names had been crossed off, finally leaving only secen names that were unfamiliar. These seven were not only not friends or relatives of the Ouyangs, their names were not even known among hte jianghu.
Shen Ying said to the guardhouse foreman, “Foreman Chu, were you present the entire time that guests were signing their names?”
Foreman Chu said, “Yes. I was there the whole time along with FOurth Uncle and Seven Big Brother.” This Fourth Uncle was Ouyang Changshou’s younger paternal cousin Ouyang Changquan, and Seventh Brother was Ouyang Changshou’s paternal nephew Ouyang He.”
Ouyang Changquan said, “That’s right. This old rotter was there with Foreman Chu and Seventh Nephew as instructed by Third Big Brother.”
“Oh,” Shen Ying said, stimulated, “in that case you all must remember what these seven people looked like!”
Ouyang Changquan gave a wry smile. “There were so many people there then, I really can’t remember clearly. And this old rotter is old, my memory is not good. Perhaps Seventh Nephew and Foreman Chu can remember!”
Shen Ying’s gaze shifted over to these two. Foreman Chu and Ouyang He shook their heads, indicating they had no recollection.
Shen Ying pondered this. “Maybe they were Ouyang Peng’s friends who you don’t know. Hmm, could also have been Chao Xiaoyan’s friends!”
Ouyang He shook his head. “This junior knows all of Fifth Big Brother’s friends, and Junior has seen all of Fifth Sister-in-law’s good friends as well. Besides, she didn’t have very many friends.”
Zhao Siniang said, “My clumsy husband for this reason sent him to greet my son’s friends. Fourth Uncle was responsible for greeting the Ouyang family friends and relatives. As for Foreman Chu, he was responsible for greeting friends of the jianghu.”
Shen Ying blurted, “In that case, these seven showed up without invitations or snuck in.”
Foreman Chu said, “There’s no way they could have snuck in, because all the gates were guarded. All the guests had to show an invitation to enter.”
“Isn’t that odd?”
Ouyang Changquan suddenly said, “Eh, this old rotter heard that Steward Zhan was in charge of sending out invitations. Could they have been Steward Zhan’s friends?”
Somethng suddenly dawned on Zhao Siniang. “That must be the case! Too bad Steward Zhan quit his post and left a few days ago, or else things would be much simpler!”
Shen Ying drew in a breath. “Let me ask, did Steward Zhan introduce any of his friends to become guards here?”
Foreman Chu said, “Yes, about thirteen in all, but four or them resigned before Steward Zhan quit his post.”
Shen Ying’s eyes lit up. “Foreman Chu, please call them over.”
Foreman Chu assented and left.
× × ×
The nine guards stood in a line before Shen YIng, whose divine eyes swept over their faces. “Do any of you recognize these seven names?” He showed them the guestbook.
The nine guards, expressinless, shook their heads in unison.
Shen YIng said evenly, “Are you all friends of Steward Zhan?”
The guards nodded in unison.
“Isn’t that odd? The nine of you are Zhan Tianhong’s friends, yet none of you recognize any of these seven people!”
A guard in his fifties said, “We are not really all that familiar with Steward Zhan. And the nine of us only met each other after we arrived here!”
“Then how did you come to know Zhan Tianhong?”
“Here and there in the jianghu.”
Shen Ying stared hard at their faces. “Were you familiar with the other four who resigned?”
“We’ve all been here three or four years, of course we’re familiar with them.”
Shen YIng’s expression changed. “How’d you get to know each other?”
“Uh… uh… Just laughing and talking normally!”
Foreman Chu suddenly cut in, “He knows those four well, they often ate and slept in the same room together.”
“Where did they go?” Shen Ying said sternly, “Tell me now!”
The guard had no choice but to answer, “All I know is that one of them, called Hu Sheng, lives on East Lane in the city. Probably he went back home.”
Shen Ying again asked, “You don’t know the others?”
“We all make our living at the edge of a blade. Though we usually eat together and drink together, we don’t ask much about anything else.”
Shen Ying couldn’t help nodding. “It doesn’t matter. Leave me Hu Sheng’s address and you can leave.”
After the nine guards had withdrawn, Shen Ying softly said a few words to Foreman Chu and Zhao Siniang, then took the guestbook and left.
Before he left he asked, “Foreman Chu, how long have you been with Ouyang Manor?”
Foreman Chu looked at Zhao Siniang and said in a low voice, “A year longer than Steward Zhan.”
“Oh,” Shen Ying said, surprised. “In that case, why did Manorlord Ouyang promote Steward Zhan instead of you?”
Foreman Chu said, “My martial arts is meager and am not as good at handling affairs, how can I compare to Steward Zhan?”
Shen Ying said, “Foreman Chu is too modest. If this old fellow’s eyes are not mistaken, your martial arts is stronger than Zhan Tianhong’s and you are more capable!”
“On that, it’s not for me to say. Maybe Steward Zhan is luckier, so Manorlord favored him more.”
“Forman Chu, what is your esteemed age?”
“Forty-three.”
“What sect are you from?”
“In answer to Your Excellency, my master is Divine Sword of Mount Lao.”
“Oh! So you’re Senior Hao’s brilliant disciple. Excuse me for my lack of manners!”
“Too bad I was not blessed, I only studied with my master for six years before he passed away.”
“Oh, I heard your master didn’t accept disciples.”
“Yes, he only took me on as a disciple in his later years. Unfortunately. I was unable to master his kungfu, and the Mount Lao Sect has fallen into oblivion.”
“This old fellow met your mastter a number of times when I was young. He once pointed out some flaws in this old fellow’s palm techniques. But then I got tied up in business and never had a chance to go back to Mount Lao to thank him properly for sharing his wisdome. I really regret that!”
(2)
Cui Yishan and Sima Cheng rode from Zhengzhou to Luoyang. Sima Cheng was in disguise so was not worried about being recognized, but Cui Yishan feared he would spoil things for him and so purposely rode on ahead, lest the enmy ambush them on the road and the both of them ended up surrounded.
Judging by the time of day they were no more than a dozen or so miles away from Luoyang and they would have time to stop in the city for lunch.
Cui Yishan squeezed his legs and urged his horse forward. Up ahead dust was flying, a black horse suddenly galloping his way.
The black horse was ten staves away from Cui Yishan when it suddenly left the road and leapt into the woods, and Cui Yishan paid it no mind. At the moment he was flustered and anxious, eager to get to Luoyang so he could ask Shen Ying to find the killer for him to avenge the murders of his family.
Hooves clop clopped and he could hear his wife and childrens’ savage cries and he couldn’t help but shed stinging tears.
Cui Yishan’s horse galloped a dozen more staves and the black horse once again emerged from the woods carrying a rider dressed in teal. The man turned back to look at Cui Yishan and his horse shivered out of the blue and nearly knocked him off.
Sima Cheng nearly ran into the man. When the horses passed by each other, Sima Cheng turned to look adn vaguely recognized the man as Ouyang Manor’s Steward Zhan Tianhong. He didn’t dare utter a sound but crouched low in the saddle and galloped hurriedly ahead.
When they reached Shen Ying’s nest, Shen Ying had just returned from Ouyang Manor and had not yet finished his pipe, looking at Cui Yishan through the smoke. He said happily, “Yishan, you came just in time. Feiyan is personally cooking today, us brothers can enjoy a good drink!”
Cui Yishan gave a wry smile. Even if it was a bunch of exotic dishes of the highest quality, he had no appetite for them.
Shen Ying looked over at Gu Sinan. “Little Gue, go see if Feiyan is about finished or not.”
Sima Cheng interjected, “Uncle Cui’s entire family was attacked several days ago by a group of masked villains…”
Cui Yishan said acridly, “Little Brother has come here precisely to ask you to investigate for me.”
“You all slow down and tell me everything, but no matter what, we still have to eat. Little Gu, get a move on!”
× × ×
Food was laid out, but everyone ate slowly. Cui Yishan only drank wine, he didn’t eat anything. “Old Ying, those inhuman beasts didn’t even spare the women and children. If I don’t tear their bodies into a million pieces how can I have the face to keep on living!”
Shen Ying said evenly, “No matter how carefully they acted, some flaws will show themselves. As long as there is a flaw, this old fellow will be able to draw them out. Relax, eat first, then we’ll talk.”
Cui Yishan put down his chopsticks heavily. “How can Little Brother be in the mood to eat?”
Yun Feiyan said smiling, “Uncle Cui aren’t you being hard on your stomach and giving the murderers and advantage. If you don’t eat and sap your strength, how will you be able to kill the enemy? Look at Little Xia Sima, his whole family was destroyed, but he is still able to keep his composure.”
Cui Yishan’s face reddened, embarrassed, and he picked up his chopsticks again.
Shen Ying glanced at Sima Cheng and with an inquiring tone asked, “Nephew Sima, if this old fellow can prove that someone else is the killer of Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan, what are you going to do?”
Sima Cheng clenched his teeth. “Little Nephew knows I’m not the killer, but what can I do to the Ouyangs and Zhaos?” His eyes suddenly shone. “Senior, you tell Little Nephew what he ought to do?”
Shen Ying sighed. “That’s something only you can decide.”
× × ×
Cui Yishan’s mood had finally lightened when he suddenly saw Ge Gensheng hurry inside.
Shen YIng asked calmly, “Did you find out where Zhan Tianhong is staying?”
Ge Gensheng said haltingly, “Your subordinate is useless! I let him get away!”
Shen Ying said angrily, “You’ve been with this old fellow all these years and you can’t even keep your eyes on one adult but let him slip away!”
“He ran off to Hundred Wins Gambling Den, and Subordinate followed him but couldn’t find him. Later, Sudordinate found their boss, but Boss Luo wouldn’t let me search the place. But Subordinate did clearly see Zhan Tianhong go in there!”
Shen Ying said coldly, “And then?”
“Then Subordinate mentioned your name and he finally let me have a look around inside, but…”
“You didn’t see him?” Shen Ying said angrily, “Who told you to mention my name?”
Ge Gensheng lowered his head. Finally, he said, “Subordinate searched around the city but couldn’t find him, so I came back to report. Subordinate believes that Zhan Tianhong must have slipped out the back of the gambling den, because that door wasn’t bolted.”
Sima Cheng suddenly thought of the man in teal he had met on the road. “May I ask what color clothes Zhan Tianhong was wearing?”
Ge Gensheng said happily, “Little Brother Sima saw him? Uh, he was wearing teal clothing!”
“Right, I ran into him on the road!” Sima Cheng told them what happened.
Ge Gensheng said, “Chief, that person is nine-tenths sure Zhan Tianhong!”
Cui Yishanm shamefaced, said “This old rotter was in such a hurry, I didn’t notice!”
Shen Ying thought for a moment, then his eyes brightened. “Feiyan, you hurry off and disguise Ge Gensheng and Lang the Fourth. Once you’re done eating, hurry off to Zhengzhou. If there’s any news send it by carrier pigeon. If you don’t find him, stay there and wait for my instructions.”
He paused, then looked over at Gu Sinan. “Send a carrier pigeon at once and recall Tao Song and Peng the Seventh. Also, I fear there isn’t enough manpower here, have them bring ten people with them!”
Cui Yishan asked urgently, “Old Ying, you think he…”
Shen Ying cut him off, “Right now it’s too early to tell, the mysteries of Heaven must not be revealed. Come, have a drink!”
(3)
Just after noon, Gu Sinan, disguised as an ordinary martial artist, arrived at East Lane to look for the Ouyang Manor guard called Hu Sheng.
It was an old house, so old it had nearly caved in. Gu Sinan knocked on the door for a while, and the rotting wooden door finally opened a crack.
He couldn’t se anyone but he heard a voice say, “What short-lived is here looking for that gambler!”
Gu Sinan was startled as the door opened and out stepped a woman around thirty with bushy eyebrows, big eyes, a flat nose, and a big mouth. She eyed Gu Sinan and the door slammed shut with a bang. She hollered out, “I knew it was one of you good-for-nothngs, coming round all hours of the day looking for that gambler to go throw dice, making this old woman having to subsist on thin gruel every day!”
Gu Sinan had an idea. Raising his voice he said, “Elder Sister, please open the door, your Big Brother Hu has had a turn of luck, he won three ingots of silver and wanted me to come deliver one of them to you to buy food and drink with. He wants to have a good drink with you tonight!”
“What? That gambling addict had such good luck today?” The bighmouthed woman hurriedly opened the door and Gu Sinan instantly grabbed the door to hold it and stepped inside. “Elder Sister, Little Brother came all this way here and you haven’t offered me a bowl of hot tea yet!”
Hu Sheng’s wife beamed with joy and said hurriedly, “Tea I have, the wine’s been drank up by that gambling demon already. Come on in, I’ll pour it for you!”
There was just one room, a small one, some firewood and odds and ends piled in a corner. The place was filthy.
Gu Sinan said, “I hear Big Brother Hu is not with the Ouyang Manor guardhouse anymore. I don’t know why he didn’t take me with him when he was promoted!”
The woman smiled and said, “You’re not fooling me, how could that devil’s luck turn? Won three ingots of silver?”
Gu Sinan took out an ingot of silver and gave it to her. “Elder Sister, do you know what Big Brother Hu’s new job is?”
The woman saw that shining silver and her mouth watered. “The other night in bed that devil said that good days were soon upon us, told me to relax and wait thre to five months. I asked him what good days, he said your husband is about to strike it rich. In the future, food and shelter will be no problem at all!”
Gu Sinan feigned dejection, “Fuck, Ole Hu that piece of shit, has such a good way out and doesn’t take me along with him!”
“Heehee, maybe he just lost his head gambling. Don’t worry, you’re hid good brother, once he comes back I’ll put in a good word for you. Ah, what’s your esteemed surname?”
“My surname is Zhan, his former colleague, also at Ouyang Manor. Oh yeah, just what is this big opportunity, Elder Sister never told me!”
“I don’t really know myself, something about him becoming some hall’s petty chief, the pay many times more than what he made at Ouyang Manor, and more impressive!”
Gu Sinan had a thought and feigned a look of admiration. “Such good prospects sure enough, I wonder if I could do it too? Elder Sister, ask about it for me, what hall is it, let Little Brother try his luck as well!”
“Of course, of course, Elder Sister can see that you’re really sharp!”
Gu SInan took out another bit of silver and stuffed it into Hu Sheng’s wife’s hands. “A mere trifle, Elder Sister, please accept it.”
“What’s this, does Elder Sister still need your money?” Yet she begrudgingly pushed it back.
Gu Sinan said urgently, “Elder Sister, please accept it. Little Brother has one condition. Once Big Brother Hu gets back, whatvever you do you must not mention what I asked you, nor can you mention the matter of the gambling winnings either. In a word, just ask him to drink a few more cups of wine, get him eight or nine-tenths there and then start talking. Little Brother will call on Elder Sister tomorrow morning. If it worked out, Little Brother wil have another ingot of silver for you.”
Astounded, the woman said, “Isn’t that odd? Though you are both good brothers, why don’t you want him to know? Elder Sister always conducts herself cleanly, all the neighbors know that your Elder Sister is a virtuous, chaste woman, you don’t need to worry about anyone starting any rumors!” Turns out she had gotten the wrong idea.
Gu Sinan was in good humor and found this funny, but he didn’t even dare look at her. “Little Brother meant something else. I was blaming Big Brother Hu for his lack of feeling, not like you, Elder Sister. Once Little Brother is once again Big Brother Hu’s colleague, I’ll make him do some soul-searching!”
“Right right, that devil really does lack feeling, liek your Elder Sister, when I first married him, fair as a flower, he was so poor he didn’t have a grain of millet, leading Elder Sister to look as famished as I do today, thin as firewood, yet he doesn’t want to go to bed with me, so ungrateful! Fortunately, your Elder Sister washes up well so I’m not ugly and stinky so that you wouldn’t even want to sit down with me!”
Gu Sinan did all he could to keep from laughing, yet tears still threatened to squeeze out the corners of his eyes. “So Little Brother intentionally did it this way. Really that Big Brother Hu! A wife pretty as you at home and he still goes out carrying on, next time Little Brother will give him a good talking to for sure!”
The woman was delighted. “Little Brother youy have a good heart!” She patted her chest with her big hand. “Just leave this all to your Elder Sister!”
× × ×
Gu Sinan told them everything he and Hu Sheng’s wife talked about and everyone broke out laughing. Sima Cheng said, “Who knew that Hu Sheng’s old woman was such a wonder!”
Yun Feiyan though whispered to Gu Sinan, “You don’t see more than three words to me, so I thought you were a block of wood, and here you are smooth talking someone else’s wife!”
Gu Sinan’s face went red and he choked out, “I… I wasn’t smooth talking!”
“You still deny it, another man’s wife has you laughing it up happily!”
Shen Ying quickly came to his aid, “Little Gu, shortly you’ll have to go back there keep watch. When Hu Sheng comes back, get a good look at his facial features. This person is really important, don’t let him slip away!”
Gu Sinan said respectfully, “Yes sir, Subordinate understands!”
Shen Ying also said, “Also, when you go you need to have on a different disguise!”
× × ×
Gu Sinan hid out around Hu Sheng’s house from dusk till deep into the night without seeing anyone enter the rundown house. From inside he kept hearing Hu Sheng’s wife muttering, and by the sound of it he knew that Hu Sheng had not yet returned home.
Late at night, the autumn wind was intense and it was getting colder. People were going to bed early. All around was silence, only the sound of the wind.
Gu Sinan was anxious and impatient, also thirsty and cold, but he didn’t dare move a step.
The moon paled and the stars dimmed, a ray of white light just creeping over the horizon, but Hu Sheng had still not returned.
Gu Sinan rubbed his eyes and stretched, determined to keep waiitng. If this thread of a clue was snapped they he would have to wait for the enemy to accidentally make a mistake, and that could take many days.
The sky brightened and the doors owfd the houses in the little lane opened one after another, the women sitting the chamber pots from the night before outside their doors so the nightsoil-collecting farmers could come take it away.
For a while the lane stank to high heaven. Gu Sinan crouched on a roof was hard up, covering his nose and mouth with his hand the best be could, afraid he couldn’t stand it and might start coughing and alert people below.
Strange, teh nightsoil farmers seemed to have forgotten their duty. It was already light out but they had not shown up.
The most impatient was Hu Sheng’s old woman. She kept on, “Those nuisances don’t look like they’re comng today. Maybe they struck it rich. It’s so cold now, my belly is especially unhappy…”
A neighbor woman laughed and said, “Sister Hu, if you can’t stand it you can take it back inside and then bring it out again after using it. If it comes to it Little Sister will tell them to wait for you!”
“Aiya, it’s already full, I can’t even squat over it!”
The woman laughed so hard she nearly fell down. “Who told you to drink so much last night!”
“Yesterday morning I forgot to take it out, and that gambling demon said he was coming home, so I waited all night and filled up on tea to keep me awake, so…”
As she was speaking a farmer came lurching and running along. He said urgently, “Elder Sister Hu, it’s bad, Big Brother Hu, he… he…”
“He what?” Hu Sheng’s wife said, “Probably that gambling demon lost everything and hanged himself!”
“He didn’t hang, he…” The nightsoil farmer was panting. “He was murdered, the body is out east of the city. We found his body and ran to report it to the authorities, that’s why we’re running late!”
Hu Sheng’s wife screamed, “That gambling demon really is heartless! Heavens, you tell me how am I supposed to live now!” She sat on the ground cried and wailed.
Her neighbor ran over to console her. “Sister, don’t cry, maybe those boorish oafs misidentified him. Aiya, why are you pants all wet…”
Gu Sinan leapt off the roof at once, not caring if anyone saw him, and used his lightness skill and ran to east of the city!
