Chapter 54: Investigate

Chapter 54: Inquiries

Shortly after Xin He had finished washing clothes at the river, a middle-aged woman came to see Bai Xu.

In these ten or so villages, Bai Xu was the only doctor. His medical skills were excellent, and his fees were low, so whenever anyone in the nearby villages suffered from aches and fevers, they would come to him for treatment.

Bai Xu had been crouching in the courtyard tending to his herbs when he noticed someone entering. He stood up from the herb garden and, while leading the woman to the consultation room, asked, "Auntie, what seems to be the trouble?"

"I'm not here for myself. I came today to matchmake for you, Doctor Bai," the middle-aged woman said cheerfully.

Xin He, who had been sorting through herbs, paused. Noticing Bai Xu’s awkward expression, she quickly said, "Oh, look at my memory—I still have dough drop soup in the kitchen. Let me go check on it."

With that, Xin He hurried into the kitchen.

In truth, the soup had already been ladled out and set aside to cool, but Xin He worried that her presence might make Bai Xu uncomfortable, so she took the chance to slip away.

But just sitting around wasn’t going to help, so she began scrubbing the stove.

Before, Bai Xu had focused only on his herbs. Aside from the cooking stove and his personal set of bowl and chopsticks, which were kept clean, every other surface in the kitchen was covered in a thick layer of dust.

Since Xin He started cooking there, she had thoroughly cleaned the entire kitchen. What was once cluttered and dusty had become spotless and bright under her care.

"A He." Bai Xu’s voice suddenly came from behind her.

Xin He, who had been bundling firewood, turned to see him standing at the kitchen door.

Wiping sweat from her forehead, she smiled brightly. "Finished so soon? Perfect timing—the soup has cooled. Shall we eat now?"

Bai Xu opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately only replied, "Let’s eat now."

He stepped in to carry the pot of soup, while Xin He followed with the bowls and chopsticks.

They set up a wooden table under the eaves. Bai Xu placed the pot on it, and Xin He began ladling out servings.

Bai Xu had never tasted dough drop soup before Xin He made it for him after her arrival. She mixed flour with water to form grains the size of rice, then added stir-fried pickled vegetables and peanuts—the result was delicious.

Bai Xu and Xin He each held a bowl, sitting under the eaves as they enjoyed the soup.

Da Huang and Xiao Bai played and tumbled in the courtyard.

After the meal, Bai Xu volunteered to wash the bowls. Xin He kept busy by categorizing the nearly dried herbs.

Some of these herbs would be stored in Bai Xu’s medicine cabinet; the rest would be sold to help with expenses.

When Bai Xu returned from washing the bowls, he found that Xin He had already organized the herbs and was now sweeping the courtyard.

Dried herbs were brittle, and bits and pieces inevitably ended up on the ground during handling.

Seeing this, Bai Xu went to fetch water.

Just as Xin He finished sweeping, Bai Xu pointed under the eaves and said, "A He, go have some water and rest. I’ll sprinkle water to settle the dust."

"Alright." Xin He didn’t refuse. She went to the water jar, scooped water into a wooden basin to wash her face and hands, then returned to the eaves.

A bowl of water waited on the wooden table. With the first sip, Xin He tasted the sweetness of honey.

Since arriving, she had never grown accustomed to the local water, though she had never mentioned it to Bai Xu. Somehow, he had noticed, and now he always added honey, perilla, or peppermint to her water.

Xin He held the bowl, sipping the honeyed water slowly.

Meanwhile, Bai Xu carried the wooden basin, sprinkling water across the courtyard. Once swept and watered, the yard instantly looked cleaner.

After finishing, Bai Xu returned to the eaves and sat with Xin He as they drank.

The sun dipped behind the mountains, and shadows gradually gathered.

It was early summer now. The evening breeze carried a pleasant coolness and the scent of unfamiliar flowers.

The fields, quiet all day, gradually came alive with the croaking of frogs and the chirping of insects.

Xin He sat hugging her knees under the eaves, gazing at the distant, silent, and dark forests, savoring the peace and quiet.

Bai Xu stole several glances at her, as if wanting to say something, but he couldn’t muster the courage.

Unaware of his hesitation, Xin He was lost in the cool summer breeze.

After a while, Bai Xu called softly, "A He."

"Hmm?" She tilted her head to look at him.

"I’m going to town tomorrow to sell herbs. Is there anything you’d like me to bring back for you?" he asked gently.

Xin He thought for a moment. "The vinegar and salt are almost finished. Since you’re going, could you buy some to restock?"

Living in the village, going to town was a hassle.

"Of course. Anything else?"

Xin He thought it over again but couldn’t think of anything else she needed.

"Nothing else," she shook her head. She was penniless now, relying on Bai Xu for food and shelter. She didn’t feel right asking him to spend more on her.

Besides, she had everything she needed, and she had no other wants.

Xin He had intended to sit a while longer, but remembering that Bai Xu needed to rise early for his trip to town, she said, "It’s getting late. Let’s rest—you have to get up early tomorrow."

"Alright." Bai Xu stood, went to the kitchen, and fetched a bucket of hot water, placing it outside Xin He’s door.

As the weather grew warmer, Xin He liked to wash up before bed. Considering her smaller stature, Bai Xu always carried the hot water to her door for her.

After washing, Xin He lay down in bed. Usually, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, but tonight, sleep eluded her.

She turned over, gazing at the faint moonlight outside the window, and found herself forced to contemplate her future.

Her foot had fully healed—she could walk and run without any trouble.

By all rights, she ought to do the right thing and go. But where would she go after departing? Life here was too calm and pleasant; she was reluctant to give it up.

And Bai Xu had never once suggested she leave.

Both of them had tacitly avoided the subject. Xin He had adopted a "take each day as it comes" attitude, avoiding thoughts of her future.

But the matchmaker’s visit today made her realize she could no longer overstay her welcome.

Bai Xu was now in talks for marriage. Her presence here was inappropriate and might even hurt his chances—after all, no woman would want to marry a man who had another woman living with him.

It seemed she needed to find time to say goodbye to Bai Xu.

But after leaving, where would she go? And penniless, where could she even go?

Just thinking about these things made Xin He's head split with pain.

Before this, she had been able to avoid facing it, but now she had to face reality.

Since she planned to leave, she first needed to find a way to earn some money.

Through the open window woven from bamboo, Xin He fixed her gaze on the forest not far away.

The next day, at first light, Bai Xu got up.

The day before, Bai Xu had already made arrangements with a villager who had an ox cart to take it to town to sell his herbs.

The town was far, and even by ox cart, they had to set out early.

Before leaving, Bai Xu told Xin He, "I probably won't be back until after noon today. If you get hungry, just make yourself something to eat; no need to wait for me."

"Alright," Xin He smiled and saw Bai Xu off.

The ox cart owner knew Bai Xu was selling herbs, so he made a special trip with the cart to save Bai Xu the walk.

Bai Xu loaded the herbs onto the cart, then turned back to Xin He and said, "Go back in, and remember to lock the courtyard gate."

Xin He agreed, watching as Bai Xu departed on the ox cart before turning back to the small courtyard.

However, after returning, Xin He didn’t go back to bed. Instead, after washing up, she put two flatbreads and a bamboo canteen of water into a basket, locked the courtyard gate, and made her way out of the village.

By now, the sky was gradually brightening, and villagers were already beginning to head out to work in the fields.

Along the way, Xin He encountered several villagers. Some greeted her and asked what she was doing out so early, and Xin He openly replied that she was going to gather herbs.

Xin He had grown up in the mountains, and mountain people always lived off the land.

The mountains were filled with treasures; as long as one was hardworking and willing to put in the effort, they could always find something to sell for money.

Xin He was filled with confidence.

Meanwhile, the ox cart traveled along the winding mountain path. Besides Bai Xu, there were several other villagers on board.

The villagers had seen Bai Xu and Xin He saying their goodbyes earlier and were now teasing him.

"Ah Xu, Auntie thought you were just being kind-hearted again, but now it seems you’ve picked up a wife for yourself!"

"No, no," Bai Xu tried to explain, but someone else chimed in.

"Hey, I have to say, the girl Brother Xu picked up this time is as pretty as a fairy. I’ve never seen such a beautiful girl in all my life."

"What’s the use of being pretty? If she can’t endure hardship or work in the fields, are we supposed to idolize her every day?" An elderly woman earnestly advised Bai Xu, "Ah Xu, don’t listen to their nonsense. Listen to me—the most important thing in a wife is that she’s hardworking, attentive, and able to bear children. Looks are just superficial."

"Aunt Zhou, you’re not right about that. If my wife were good-looking, not only would I have face, but I’d also have more energy to work!"

At first, they were just teasing Bai Xu, but as they talked, the topic shifted to whether it was useful to have a good-looking wife.

Bai Xu, always gentle and kind, listened as the conversation drifted off-topic and silently sat in the corner with his herbs, saying nothing.

Their village was remote; even by ox cart, it took an hour to reach town.

Once in town, the people on the ox cart gradually got off. After confirming the approximate time the ox cart would return to the village, they went into the city together for market day.

Bai Xu carried his herbs straight to the familiar medicine shop.

The shopkeeper knew him well and, after inspecting the herbs he brought, purchased them at the usual price.

After the shopkeeper settled the account, Bai Xu handed over a prescription: "Shopkeeper Zhu, if you please."

Every time Bai Xu came to sell herbs, he would also buy some medicine from the shop—medicines that weren’t available in the village.

The shopkeeper wrapped the medicine for him while shaking his head, "No wonder everyone in your village and the nearby villages says you have a good heart. You’re practically a living Bodhisattva."

The shopkeeper’s words were three parts praise and seven parts mockery.

As the saying goes, "Gold has a price, but medicine is priceless." Whether running a medicine shop or practicing medicine, everyone made a fortune.

Only Bai Xu, this foolish lad, not only failed to make money but even lost quite a bit. Behind his back, all his peers called him stupid.

But Bai Xu, whose robe was faded from washing, just smiled indifferently: "Before my father passed away, he reminded me not to forget the phrase 'a healer’s benevolence.' I dare not dishonor his wishes."

Shopkeeper Zhu said nothing more but cursed under his breath: Fool.

Soon, the medicine Bai Xu wanted was wrapped up.

After calculating the bill, Shopkeeper Zhu found that, after deducting the money from the herbs Bai Xu sold that day, Bai Xu still owed him twenty coins.

Bai Xu took out his money pouch from his sleeve, carefully counted out twenty coins, handed them to Shopkeeper Zhu, and then left the medicine shop.

Afterward, Bai Xu went to buy salt, vinegar, and other household necessities. The previously empty basket was soon nearly full.

He had bought almost everything the household needed, and there was still some money left in his sleeve.

After thinking it over, Bai Xu finally mustered the courage to enter a fabric store.

The female shopkeeper saw him come in and immediately greeted him warmly: "Young man, here to buy fabric? For yourself or for someone at home?"

"For someone at home," Bai Xu whispered.

"Is that person male or female?"

"Female."

This was the first time Bai Xu had entered a fabric store to buy cloth for a woman, so he felt very uncomfortable.

The shopkeeper, noticing his reddened ears, understood immediately: "Oh, here to pick out fabric for your sweetheart, right? Come over here, young man. These are the most fashionable fabrics in the store. Lots of girls buy them to make clothes!"

There were many brightly colored fabrics in this section.

But Bai Xu’s eyes immediately fell on a bolt of ivory-red material.

Xin He was currently wearing his mother’s old clothes. His mother was older, and most of her clothes were gray or brown, but Xin He had fair skin—she would look very good in red.

The shopkeeper saw Bai Xu staring at the red fabric and immediately teased and flattered him: "Young man, you have excellent taste. Many brides choose this fabric for their wedding dresses! If you buy this for your sweetheart, I guarantee she’ll agree to marry you tomorrow."

"No, no, we’re not in that kind of relationship," Bai Xu hurriedly explained in a fluster, his face turning bright red.

He simply felt that A He, being a young woman, should wear bright, cheerful dresses instead of always wearing his mother’s old clothes.

Moreover, he had saved her out of a healer’s benevolence and had no intention of pressuring her to marry him out of gratitude.

But Bai Xu was afraid the shopkeeper would say more, so he quickly picked out a bolt: "I'll take this one."

It was a bolt of peach-red fabric.

A quarter of an hour later, Bai Xu slung the bolt of cloth over his shoulder and left the shop.

After leaving the cloth shop, Bai Xu remembered that he had originally planned to come to town to buy shoes today. But now, he only had five coppers left in his purse—definitely not enough to buy shoes.

Just then, he noticed a vendor selling maltose candy nearby. Bai Xu walked over and spent his last five coppers on a packet of maltose candy.

When he was a child, every time his parents went to the market, what he looked forward to most was them bringing back a packet of maltose candy when they returned.

Today, A He hadn't come along, so he would bring some back for her to try.

After buying everything, Bai Xu briskly walked toward the city gate with the maltose candy.

Now that he had bought all he needed, he just had to wait for Dazhu to finish his errands, and then he could ride Dazhu’s ox cart back to the village.

When he reached the city gate, Dazhu hadn’t arrived yet, so Bai Xu set down his basket and sat in the shade of a tree to cool off.

It was already late April, and in just over ten days, it would be the Dragon Boat Festival. The weather was getting hotter day by day.

As Bai Xu sat resting in the shade, his eyes wandered over the people coming and going.

Their town held market days falling on the 2nd, 6th, and 8th of every ten-day cycle. Most of the people here were villagers from nearby—some came to sell foraged goods, others to buy daily necessities.

Suddenly, a horse caught Bai Xu’s eye.

He stared in surprise. In their small town, ox carts were the most common sight; even mules were rare. But now, there was a horse.

No, to be more precise, there were seven horses.

This was extremely unusual in their small town.

Bai Xu instinctively looked at the man leading the group.

The man wore a pale, silvery brocade robe and a white jade hair crown. He sat upright on his horse, his features refined and gentle, yet his eyes were cold and indifferent.

The six attendants behind him each carried a sword at their waist.

The group looked dusty from travel, as if they had come from afar. Their boots and the horses’ hooves were splattered with mud. From their clothing and demeanor, it was clear they were either wealthy or of noble birth.

After a quick glance, Bai Xu averted his gaze.

Such people were not for the likes of commoners like them.

But at that moment, Bai Xu had no idea that this group would soon appear at his home.

"A Xu!" someone called him.

Bai Xu turned and saw Dazhu coming out with the ox cart. He hurriedly hoisted his basket onto his back and walked toward the cart.

Meanwhile, Chi Yan and his group quickly found an inn to stay at.

The best inn in town still looked rundown to them.

Chi Yan personally scrubbed a teacup with boiling water several times before pouring tea for Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin took only one sip and frowned.

The tea tasted stale and musty—like it had been sitting for years.

Chi Yan immediately said, "Let me go get some proper tea."

As he turned to leave, Wei Mingjin stopped him.

"No need," Wei Mingjin set the cup down and ordered, "We have more important matters. After everyone has eaten, take the portraits and start asking around town."

A week ago, Wei Mingjin had left the capital and rushed to Yuyang, arriving at the place where Xin He’s body was found.

Since the case of the river bandit attack had not yet been solved, the victims' bodies related to the case were temporarily kept at the Yuyang government office.

Wei Mingjin had gone to see them. Although the woman’s figure was nearly identical to Xin He’s, she was missing the distinctive red mole on her left shoulder blade.

In that moment, Wei Mingjin felt as if he had come back to life.

The dead woman was not Xin He, but Xin He’s bracelet had been removed from the woman’s wrist. This meant that the woman had met Xin He before.

To understand why, Wei Mingjin patiently stayed on in Yuyang County and helped the local government solve the case.

However, the bandits all insisted they had never seen Xin He.

Since they had already confessed to the robbery and murder, there was no reason to lie about that now, so Wei Mingjin believed them.

If they had never seen Xin He, but her bracelet appeared on the wrist of a woman they killed, it meant Xin He had given the bracelet to this woman.

Whether it was placed before or after death, only Xin He knew for sure.

But whether before or after, it meant Xin He had been in Yuyang.

Her being in Yuyang was something.

She'd left a trail, and he would find it, piece by piece.

Chi Yan nodded and went to make the arrangements.

Wei Mingjin sat alone at the table in the inn, staring out at the bright sunlight outside the window, a satisfied look on his face.

He Niang, we will meet again soon. Just you wait.