Chapter 87: Wan Niang, You Always Love Trying New Tricks
Moments later, Shopkeeper Li and Sun Xiao along with other second-rate experts hurriedly arrived.
Seeing Lu Ze’s deathly state, the group tacitly said nothing more.
They lifted the lid of the water bucket on the unicycle and placed Lu Ze’s corpse inside.
Whether by coincidence or not, these empty water buckets were just large enough to fit a curled-up adult corpse.
Shopkeeper Li, Sun Xiao, and the others pushed the cart away with the corpse.
Chen Shun’an tossed the few strings of cash that Lu Ze had robbed to the woman, then closed the wooden door and left with San Dezi.
As for this family’s suffering and the young man’s tuberculosis, Chen Shun’an was temporarily powerless to help.
He could only come here to deliver some blessed water, and if there was a chance in the future, develop him into a beneficiary.
Returning to Chaodou Hutong, it was already noon.
The courtyard was very quiet, with a large group of naughty children obediently practicing writing and reading at the Eight-Immortal Table in the main hall.
Those who had reached the age for martial arts practice were following Scarred Liu in standing meditation at the shady wall corner.
“Brother, you’re back?”
The women were busy in the kitchen. Wan Niang saw Chen Shun’an and the other, quickly wiped her hands on her apron, walked over, and took the basket.
Wan Niang faintly noticed the bloody scent on Chen Shun’an. Her movements did not stop, her expression unchanged, as she went to pour water for Chen Shun’an to wipe his body.
She had the demeanor of a family matron, keeping everything in perfect order.
San Dezi chuckled and went to find his wife and child.
As Chen Shun’an walked toward the bedroom, he noticed that on the stool in the main hall were placed many small children’s toys like drop firecrackers, smash firecrackers, and sky monkeys, in various types.
He closed the bedroom door.
Wan Niang took off Chen Shun’an’s damp short jacket, serving him as he changed clothes while casually saying,
“Tomorrow night is the Spirit Official’s ascension day, and Thunder Fire Golden Whip probably won’t be visible, so these kids bought some firecrackers to have something to look forward to.”
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an smiled: “Afraid you want to play too?”
Wan Niang pursed her lips, rolled her eyes coquettishly at Chen Shun’an with a playful glare. Her bare face instantly bloomed with captivating color.
Those eyes seemed to speak, bright and shimmering with a pool of spring passion.
Chen Shun’an was momentarily entranced watching her.
Wan Niang, why do you seem a bit feverish?
Wan Niang chided playfully: “Play! Fine, play then!!”
With that, Wan Niang boldly started fooling around.
As they played, wish points kept popping up.
【Wish +1】
【Wish +1】
【Wish +1】
Chen Shun’an was puzzled: “Wan Niang, you’re not afraid anymore?”
That time Wan Niang knelt begging for mercy, timidly asking Chen Shun’an not to torment her— he remembered it vividly.
Wan Niang paused and softly said: “I went to Lingguan Temple to burn incense, dropped the holy cup, and begged for five sophora wood talismans. The temple keeper said they can soothe spirits and summon yin to reside.”
Wan Niang’s thinking was extremely simple.
Her five sisters were all unfortunate people, perhaps without a resting place for so many years. They might as well live in her sophora wood talismans.
That way, they wouldn’t blame her, right?
After all, Chun Hong was now mostly in the palace as a palace maid, so she no longer needed to worry about her.
As for her brother chasing skirts, that vixen called Xiao Man was now living well too.
So Wan Niang had nothing to fear anymore.
Wan Niang had asked for five taels of silver a few days ago—it turned out she went to burn incense and seek talismans?
Chen Shun’an immediately realized, finding it somewhat amusing.
Wan Niang, you always love surprising me with new tricks.
The two did not delay long, fooled around briefly, then left the bedroom.
Golden Head Overlord had curled up in the earthenware pot the whole time, chirping softly, blocking out the humans’ crude talk.
Leaving the room, they happened to run into Scarred Liu’s wife, leading a rosy-lipped, white-toothed little child.
Li Shi saw Wan Niang’s flushed face like March peach blossoms, paired with disheveled clothes.
She vaguely understood, quickly pulling the child away and covering his eyes.
Shh, not suitable for children.
Golden Head Overlord can’t listen, and kids certainly can’t watch.
Only the grass carp in the water vat stared with its big fish eyes.
Ah ba ah ba.
……
At the dinner table, Chen Shun’an told Scarred Liu and the women about the news he had gathered that morning.
Learning that the government offices had begun rectifying the situation, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, and the atmosphere livened up.
After the meal, Chen Shun’an, Scarred Liu, and San Dezi gathered at the table, legs propped up, puffing on pipes and gossiping over tea.
Letting the women clear the leftovers and clean up.
Scarred Liu and San Dezi were long accustomed to it, unperturbed, fully accepting the Sacred Dynasty’s traditions and customs.
Chen Shun’an followed local customs—no need to push unrealistic ideals like equality of all people or shared rights between men and women.
Take too big a step, and you pull a muscle.
Scarred Liu said: “Brother Chen, that Li Shi upstairs, you know her son Li Dongyang?”
Chen Shun’an said: “Grew up watching these alley kids, of course I know him. What’s up?”
Scarred Liu’s family had been temporarily staying at Li Shi’s home these past few days, naturally paying for lodging.
Li Shi didn’t mind the chatter; instead, she spoke well of Chen Shun’an and even sent over some homemade pickled vegetables.
Scarred Liu said: “That kid Li Dongyang is interesting. At night he borrows light through a hole in the wall, using our room’s candle to study some third-rate martial arts manual he bought somewhere, sticking his butt out, nodding and shaking his head…
If I’d had that drive for martial arts practice back then, I’d have broken through to second-rate long ago!”
Scarred Liu laughed and cursed.
Chen Shun’an and San Dezi both laughed.
Chen Shun’an said: “Besides Li Dongyang, there’s another in the alley called Zhang Wangyue. These two brats always used to eavesdrop on my martial arts practice, crouching at the wall corner like they shared one pair of pants.
Li Dongyang has good root bone but failed at studies, so he practices martial arts; he’s honest. Zhang Wangyue has poor root bone but quick wits, called a little prodigy, highly praised by the private school teacher, though he has a scheming mind.”
San Dezi said in surprise: “Oh? These two are perfect complementary buddies in character.”
People of a certain age seem to always love discussing kids.
Perhaps because they see their younger selves in them.
Wanting to buy osmanthus for wine, but it can never match youthful tours.
“By the way, a snuff shop called Ju Xing Zhai is opening, gave out a few small tickets saying you can sample for free three times.”
Scarred Liu seemed to remember something, rummaged around, and pulled out several brand-new small tickets from his pocket.
Palm-sized, privately made.
The front had the four big characters “Fragrant Heart Clearing Paste,” Ju Xing Zhai’s signboard, plus patterns of lamp fixtures and snuff bottles.
The back stated the official opening date, that this ticket allowed three times, and listed the wonders of this “Fragrant Heart Clearing Paste,” like clearing the mind, brightening the eyes, warding off plagues, relieving itch, etc.
Scarred Liu continued: “The one handing out tickets said Ju Xing Zhai has been in trial business for a long time; in the county, the city, even heard they have branches in the Capital City, widely praised by the people.”
San Dezi listened while eagerly examining the small ticket.
Chen Shun’an held the small ticket, and for some reason his face suddenly darkened.
The lamp fixture on the ticket—wasn’t it those colorful, multicolored Taigu lamps he saw on the street that morning?
And in the snuff bottle, dotted with a bit of ink, faintly showed a pill-shaped paste.
Strands of a familiar scent wafted faintly from the ticket, thin and almost imperceptible.
Still calling it snuff paste?
It was just a front as snuff, actually selling hibiscus paste fire!
Or rather, the commoner version of hibiscus paste fire.
Repackaged and renamed Fragrant Heart Clearing Paste!
……
The lamplight flickered.
A well-worn diary opened in Chen Shun’an’s hands.
Landlord Zheng’s sayings:
“Sacred Dynasty 954 spring, Wuqing County suffered a great drought, county tax collection obstructed, many resisted grain tax. Landlord Zheng led by example, paid taxes and grain, afterward whispered in my ear—
‘For court extortions, have the gentry pay first, leading the commoners to follow. Once gentry pay, people emulate. Once funds enter, gentry get their money back, commoners’ money split three-seven—this is ancient truth.’ I was deeply shocked, deeming him a heavenly man.”
“Sacred Dynasty 955 winter, morning cold extreme. Landlord Zheng went to Fu Long Ji for newly arrived Suzhou embroidery. Fu Long Ji’s shopkeeper, to curry favor, had a sales girl Madam Xu lead his daughter to offer; Landlord Zheng said—
‘This girl is of marriageable age, perfect for deflowering; this half-old Madam Xu still has charm~ both should be taken under my wing.’ I was even more shocked, deeming him inhuman.”
“Sacred Dynasty 959 early spring, river ice not yet melted, Landlord Zheng frequently went to Banye Ferry Crossing’s Bewitching Bay, shielding attendants, bringing only three or five confidants, whereabouts unknown. Upon return, he muttered in a daze—
‘Heaven’s gifts refused bring blame; what care I for calamities to state and people? After death, who minds the flood!’ I was puzzled and suspicious, thus recorded it again…”
The lamp wick popped and flashed.
Pungent smoke wafted.
Chen Shun’an finally snapped back.
As everyone knew, Sacred Dynasty officials and many merchants loved keeping diaries and notes.
Recording bits of their lives and work, some even grand tomes of millions of words.
Partly for self-admonition and reflection, partly as key evidence for mutual destruction, deterrence, or as tainted witnesses later!
This “Landlord Zheng’s sayings” was what Chen Shun’an found in the ruins after reporting Ah Hua that night and leading men to demolish Wanlong Pounding House.
He had skimmed it before, seeing only Shopkeeper Xiang’s flattery and sycophancy toward Zheng Shicheng, so he ignored it and put it away.
Now, Chen Shun’an vaguely sensed that the Guo Lu Society couldn’t find Zheng Shicheng?
Guo Lu Society Brothers had practically turned Wuqing County upside down, even stormed Zheng Mansion, but returned empty-handed.
Yet the bigger the commotion, the more Chen Shun’an sensed the Guo Lu Society Brothers’ underlying anxiety.
After all, the people can’t fight officials, let alone gangsters?
The Guo Lu Society survived so many years by scattering, coming and going like shadows—daytime marketplace butchers, nighttime chivalrous benefactors.
If Zheng Shicheng were dead, they’d have vanished into the wilds long ago.
Why stir up this storm?
At this moment,
As Chen Shun’an flipped through this diary.
A profile of Zheng Shicheng, even his life patterns, gradually took shape in Chen Shun’an’s mind.
Zheng Mansion had a secret tunnel straight to a brothel alley over ten li away.
Few knew, but Zheng Shicheng once let it slip while drunk to Shopkeeper Xiang.
Who carefully recorded it in the diary.
Finally, Chen Shun’an found Zheng Shicheng often sneaked via the tunnel to three or four places.
Fu Long Ji, the Minghu Nunnery where he secretly kept a bastard child, Banye Ferry Crossing’s Bewitching Bay…
Zheng Shicheng probably never dreamed his overly loyal subordinate, in high favor, could be a bad thing.
Work needs records.
But bad deeds must not leave traces.
Especially with a diary-loving underling.
Chen Shun’an made a mental note.
He wouldn’t keep records himself; in future, if he had followers or subordinates, they couldn’t either.
One man’s stumble warns the next.
A lesson from predecessors…
Rustling sounds arose.
Chen Shun’an used his left hand to crookedly write these place names and related info on a very common letter paper.
Chen Shun’an had no full certainty that Zheng Shicheng was hiding in one of these spots.
After all, Chen Shun’an wasn’t good at deduction, only at cross-border comebacks.
But having a few points of certainty was enough.
Anyway, it wasn’t him risking it.
He blew out the candle, saw Wan Niang still fast asleep, quietly left, becoming a ghostly shadow that merged into the night.
