Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
Mermaid
墨書 Inktalez
The bright moonlight spilled onto the ground, resembling a thin layer of frost.
Waves gently lapped against the shore, and a light breeze carried the faint scent of seawater into the coastal town, seemingly bringing with it the sound of song—a woman's soft, mournful melody that was both sweet and sorrowful.
Yet not everyone could hear this song, for at this hour, most people were already fast asleep.
A faint blue glow flashed through the air, quickly plunging back into the sea, merging with the depths of the ocean.
"This is the second murder case this month. The victim is Cui Er, a maid from the Bai Residence's Third Madam. Like the Fourth Lady who died at the beginning of the month, Cui Er was found drowned in her room this morning, her body completely soaked."
Wan Shaobai stood quietly in Cui Er's room, clearly hearing the coroner's words. The situation was eerily similar to that of the Fourth Lady's death.
This room could not be tidied up yet as permission from the authorities had not been granted. As time passed, the puddle on the floor gradually evaporated.
Wan Shaobai walked steadily around the simply furnished room, examining every corner but still found nothing. There were no signs of forced entry at the doors or windows, and there were no drag marks on the floor. How could a living person possibly run out to drown themselves in the lake and then return?
Gazing at the faint remnants of water on the floor, Wan Shaobai couldn't help but furrow his brow tightly. It seemed there would be no clues to uncover here.
Having made up his mind, Wan Shaobai instructed the butler waiting outside to take him to meet Bai Haoran, the head of the Bai family.
As they passed through the garden, a faint sound of a woman weeping reached his ears.
Wan Shaobai turned towards the sound; it came from the courtyard where the madam resided.
Seeing this, the butler sighed softly and explained helplessly, "That is Bai Family's Third Madam. Her temperament changed a bit when Master married Fourth Lady six months ago. Now that Fourth Lady is dead and Cui Er has also died, everyone in the household is on edge. The Third Madam probably can't bear it anymore and has gone mad."
Wan Shaobai nodded slightly, as the faint cries of the woman echoed hauntingly above the Bai Residence, adding an extra layer of desolation and eeriness to the atmosphere.
Upon entering the hall, Bai Haoran, Madam, and Second Lady were already present.
Though Bai Haoran was in his forties, he still exuded an extraordinary presence. It was evident that the two recent murders had weighed heavily on him; while his demeanor remained intact, he appeared somewhat fatigued.
Madam wore a sorrowful expression, propping her head up with her hand as she leaned weakly against her chair. Second Lady maintained her usual aloofness, quietly holding a teacup and savoring the fragrant tea.
Wan Shaobai explained his purpose for visiting, prompting Bai Haoran to invite him to take a seat. After a deep sigh, Bai Haoran said, “Wan Butou, I have little to say this time. The situation is the same as last time—suddenly discovering someone dead in their room.”
“Was there anything unusual that happened in between?” Wan Shaobai pressed.
Bai Haoran slowly shook his head, and both ladies remained silent, not uttering a word.
After a moment of contemplation, Wan Shaobai asked, “I heard that Third Madam has gone mad?”
This was clearly a topic that Bai Haoran and the others had not intended to bring up. Now that it had been mentioned by Wan Shaobai, they paused for a moment before reluctantly nodding in acknowledgment.
Madam spoke with sorrow, “She suddenly went mad. This is a family disgrace we did not intend to disclose to outsiders. Please forgive us, Wan Butou.”
Wan Shaobai nodded in understanding. Madam continued, “In my opinion, it must be the water ghost seeking vengeance. Dying inexplicably in one’s room is not something an ordinary person can accomplish. We should invite someone to perform a ritual.”
Bai Haoran nodded in agreement.
The Second Lady, however, let out a cold snort and said lightly, “So, is the madness of the Third Madam also caused by the water ghost? Why not drag her along as well?”
Madam was momentarily speechless, unable to respond.
Wan Shaobai understood that the Second Lady had always been at odds with Madam, so her words were somewhat understandable. To ease the awkward atmosphere, Wan Shaobai turned to the Second Lady and politely asked, “Second Lady seems to know something. Could you share a bit with us?”
“There are some matters best left for the master to discuss. I’m just someone who eats idle rice and wouldn’t dare speak too much,” the Second Lady said, casting a mocking glance at Bai Haoran before rising gracefully and leaving.
Bai Haoran watched the Second Lady’s retreating figure, feeling angry but unable to express it. Finally, he turned to Madam and said, “I’ll leave this to you,” before sweeping out of the room.
Left behind, Wan Shaobai and Madam exchanged glances. Madam sighed and said, “Er Mei is just like that. She wasn’t originally meant to marry the master; she ended up marrying him and has harbored resentment ever since. Please don’t take it to heart, Wan Butou.”
“I see,” Wan Shaobai continued to inquire, “But surely what the Second Lady pointed out must have deeper implications? I hope Madam can enlighten us; it would be beneficial for both the magistrate and Bai Residence if this case could be resolved soon.”
“It’s nothing much. Er Mei was referring to how after Si Mei died, the master wanted to take Cui Er as a concubine. This was a family matter; both the master and I felt it had nothing to do with Cui Er’s death, so we didn’t mention it.”
The master wanted to remarry within half a month after Fourth Lady's death?
“The master married Si Mei because of an affair he had outside; Si Mei came into the house pregnant. He wouldn’t have married her otherwise. As for Cui Er, since the master didn’t say much, I naturally wouldn’t ask—she was just a servant.”
“Fourth Lady came into the house pregnant? What happened to the child? Why was this never mentioned before?”
"The child was taken care of by Sister Three, but now Sister Three has gone mad, so the child has been handed over to the wet nurse. Si Mei was originally a woman of the world; such past events are likely something Si Mei herself would prefer not to mention," Madam said with a tone of regret.
Wan Shaobai pondered for a moment, noticing Madam's weary expression. He resisted the urge to press further and stood up to take his leave.
The steward escorted Wan Shaobai to the door. Suddenly, Wan Shaobai seemed to remember something and asked the steward, "Do you know anything about Cui Er?"
"Cui Er was originally Third Madam's maid. The master mentioned wanting to take her as a concubine during an argument with Third Madam one night. I didn't know if it was true until I heard Madam and you discussing it today," the steward replied.
"An argument?" A sharp glint flashed in Wan Shaobai's eyes as he pressed on, "What was the argument about?"
"How would someone like me know? Only Third Madam would know the details, but now that she has gone mad, you won't be able to find out anything from her," the steward said.
Wan Shaobai felt the light in his eyes dim at the steward's words. It was indeed true; servants had no right to know about their masters' quarrels. Asking Bai Haoran about such private disputes would yield nothing, especially since Third Madam was now insane.
"However, I did overhear something about a child. I'm not sure if it's accurate, but it seems that Third Madam has always had trouble conceiving, and they have argued about this before," the steward speculated.
"I really don't know anything else. Thank you for your trouble today, Wan Daren," he added.
The steward clearly did not wish to say more, but his mention of infertility had given Wan Shaobai some insight.
After thanking the steward and saying he hoped not to be a bother next time, Wan Shaobai turned and walked away in another direction.
Comment 0 Comment Count