Chapter 1340: 阿蕙

Chapter 1326: Ah Hui

In times of chaos, traveling with a large group is safer.

"Did you encounter anything unusual outside?"

"I wouldn't know about that. So many people live in the village, and they all have legs; I can't possibly know everyone's whereabouts. However," Old Man Chen blinked, "Chen Fu'ang's wife probably knows. A few days ago, neighbors heard them arguing fiercely."

"What was the argument about?"

"His wife accused him of finding another woman."

Dong Rui, standing nearby, asked curiously, "How would his wife know?"

How would a peddler like Chen Fu'ang's family know what he did outside?

"Shall I take you there to ask her directly?"

County Lieutenant Li also went along.

Chen Fu'ang's house was on the west side of the village. His wife, dark-skinned and slightly plump, was three years older than him and looked like an ordinary farmwoman. The house wasn't large, and the furniture was old. He Lingchuan glanced over and saw a patched set of bedding through the slightly ajar wooden door.

The family originally had two boys, whom Chen's wife had called back into their room.

Although his name meant 'rich,' Chen Fu'ang's family was not wealthy.

As soon as Chen's wife heard Old Man Chen explain the three men's purpose, she burst into wails: "He died so miserably, abandoning us three orphans and a widow! We have no way to live now!"

Old Man Chen rapped on the table. "These two officials are here to investigate the case. You must cooperate fully."

He didn't say one thing: at least Chen Fu'ang died peacefully. The unfortunate ones torn apart by monsters were the ones who truly "died miserably."

"Cooperate with what?" Chen's wife cried like a gushing spring. "He's already dead, what's the use of investigating now? How will the three of us manage?"

Her wailing was particularly shrill in the night; even He Lingchuan found it a bit unbearable. He took two silver ingots from his pocket and placed them on the table. "I have a few questions. As long as you answer truthfully, this silver is yours."

A dim lamp could not diminish the alluring gleam of the silver.

When Chen's wife saw the two silver ingots, her crying paused. Old Man Chen quickly added, "Your parents and two brothers are all in the village. With their care, the three of you won't suffer any losses in the future. What are you afraid of?"

Only then did Chen's wife sob, "You can... you can ask."

Before He Lingchuan could speak, Dong Rui preempted him: "Why did you argue with Chen Fu'ang the day before yesterday?"

Chen's wife's face instantly darkened like a brewing storm. "He found a hussy!"

"From where?"

"A few days ago, the caravan brought her back from outside."

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui exchanged a glance. "You mean the Chen family caravan brought a woman back from outside? How old was she?"

"In her early twenties, half-mad, half-sane, but very seductive. She also had a five or six-year-old daughter." Chen's wife pointed at Old Man Chen, "He knows about it too."

County Lieutenant Li rolled his eyes. Half-mad and seductive? Pure fantasy. Old Man Chen calmly retorted, "I didn't bring her back, and I've only seen her twice. How would I know as much as you?"

Dong Rui ignored their bickering. "Where are the mother and daughter now?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Two living people just disappeared like that?"

"That night, when the monsters attacked, dozens of people disappeared. Are those two any different?" Chen's wife said spitefully. "They might have been dragged off and eaten by monsters."

He Lingchuan pointed at the silver on the table. "What exactly happened?"

For the sake of the silver, Chen's wife reluctantly explained: "When the caravan returned from Liu County and stopped at Tiger Head Hill to fetch water, the mother and daughter secretly snuck onto a cart. No one noticed until the caravan returned to Chen Family Village."

"What was their background?"

"I only saw her once. She was in the dilapidated shed where the hay was piled, on the west side, giggling foolishly at passersby. Others told me she was more often confused than lucid."

West side? He Lingchuan was particularly sensitive to directions tonight.

"However, when she was lucid, she mentioned to Sister Wu, who kindly brought her food, that she was from a small place called Maudun... I think it was Maudun." Chen's wife didn't know where that place was. "She had been married, but her husband died, so her in-laws sold her two daughters, and then they sold her too. I guess that's when she started to get a bit..."

Chen's wife pointed to her temple, then continued, "But in less than five years, her second husband fell off a cliff and died as well."

"And then?"

"After that, her mind became muddled again. What she said was incoherent; one moment she'd say she escaped with her daughter, the next that she found her daughter by the roadside. One moment she'd say her in-laws were trying to sell them again, the next that monsters were chasing them from behind."

"Monsters chasing them?" Dong Rui raised an eyebrow at He Lingchuan. "Isn't that the key point we needed to ask about?"

"At the time, how were we to know there really were monsters? We just thought she was talking nonsense!" Chen's wife pouted. "Maybe in her mind, her in-laws, who wanted to sell her, were the monsters. When I told the other village women this idea, they all agreed it made sense."

The boy in the room, who was about to slip out to urinate, had his gaze drawn to the monkey on Dong Rui's shoulder as he came out. Hearing the conversation, he suddenly looked up and said, "Xiao An said the monsters had been chasing them for a long time. Every time they relaxed, those monsters would come out of the darkness—!"

He made claw shapes with both hands, mimicking an attack: "—and pounce!"

"Xiao An?"

"That's the little girl." Chen's wife pointed to the inner room and scolded her son, "Get inside! Adults are talking, what are you interrupting for!"

"It's fine." Dong Rui waved to the boy and pulled out a handful of candies. "Here, have some candy, and tell us what else Xiao An said?"

The boy saw the monkey on Dong Rui's shoulder skillfully peeling a candy wrapper and immediately became interested. "Give me the monkey, and I'll tell you."

Chen's wife angrily said, "Don't be rude to the official!"

"Don't offend them over an ugly monkey and make them take back the silver on the table!"

The boy twisted his neck. "I want the monkey, or I won't say anything!"

Chen's wife was about to slap him, but Dong Rui pointed at the boy and whispered a few words to the spirit ape.

No one else heard clearly, but the spirit ape immediately leaped onto the boy's shoulder, making his back bend under its weight.

Its weight was considerable, but the boy was overjoyed. He reached out to stroke the monkey twice, then forcefully tugged at the fur on its neck. Chen's wife was startled and slapped his hand away. "Stop messing around!"

The owner of this ugly monkey is watching.

The spirit ape paid no mind; this little thing couldn't pull its fur out anyway. It picked up a candy from the table and slowly peeled it.

Dong Rui urged, "Now tell us."

"Xiao An said she was from Xingyun Village, and there's a very big, tall ginkgo tree at the village entrance. One night, it suddenly got very noisy outside. There were fires everywhere in the village and adults screaming. It was the first time she heard adults crying and yelling like children."