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墨書 Inktalez
Historical records indicate that during the first year of the Jingkang period of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Jin Army invaded the south, leading to widespread chaos. Both soldiers and civilians faced severe food shortages, resulting in the practice of salting and drying the dead to create jerky for sustenance.
In Dengzhou, a man named Fan Wen organized a militia to resist the Jin forces. After suffering defeat, he and his followers fled by boat to Lin'an. Upon entering the city, they were still consuming the human jerky they had brought with them. They referred to this jerky as "Two-Legged Sheep," with older, lean men being called "Burnt Old Man," implying that such flesh was tough and needed extra cooking. Young women were labeled "Not Envious of Sheep," while children were referred to as "Soft Bones." By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, during a time of turmoil, government troops stationed at Huaiyou also faced starvation and resorted to cannibalism. They believed that children's flesh was superior, followed by women's, and then men's. They called human flesh "Human Flesh," suggesting it was delicious and left one craving more.
Such accounts are not limited to Eastern history; Western history contains similar records as well. In some ancient civilizations, human organs appeared on royal menus. Even thousands of years later, during so-called civilized times, similar incidents occurred. News reports once detailed how Uruguayan rugby players survived a plane crash by consuming their deceased teammates.
Human nature is inherently flawed; from one perspective, this seems true. However, Xing Ruyi did not expect that the Hundred-Person Pit in Mother-in-law Hui Niang's yard originated from a beggar whom Hui Niang had saved.
If one were to summarize this in a single sentence, could it be called a massacre instigated by a beggar?
Yun Sheng was not surprised by Hui Niang's reaction; he merely looked at her coldly, handed her a handkerchief, and continued recounting past events as if telling someone else's story.
"Although human meat buns are tasty, they inevitably attract attention during such times. Someone quietly infiltrated my home to discover where the meat in those buns came from. That person naturally became a ghost in the yard; however, those human meat buns could no longer be sold."
"Was that person also killed by you?"
Hui Niang asked with concern. Yun Sheng glanced at her but did not respond.
"That person was a notorious rascal at the Yun Family Gathering. My parents knew he was difficult to deal with, so they used the money from selling human meat buns to buy fine wine and dishes for entertainment. A jug of good wine could easily get a rascal drunk; that long night allowed us to commit many wicked acts. For instance, we could pull up his blanket to cover his mouth and nose and press down hard. Silently and without struggle, he quietly departed from this world.
Rascals can be quite troublesome, but they have their advantages too; for example, even in years of famine, he wore decent clothing. So my parents stripped him of his garments for future use. As for his corpse, it could no longer be made into buns and had to be buried on-site.
During my year as a laborer outside, I witnessed many such events and heard from people in the manor that hair is the hardest part to dispose of after death. So I instructed my parents to cut off that man's hair for firewood. Surprisingly, it burned quite well—fierce flames—but the smell in the air was unpleasant. Especially when the hair burned, you could hear sounds resembling cries; however, I knew it was just my imagination."
"It seems our previous assumptions were somewhat off. I initially thought that Mother-in-law Hui Niang shaved off the victims' hair for another purpose; however, it appears they did so for reasons similar to those of typical murderers burying bodies—to avoid detection." Xing Ruyi recalled seeing a skeleton in the yard that had been dead for some time: "So it turns out that the original cause of death was like this."
The fox patted Xing Ruyi's shoulder without saying anything. Xing Ruyi exhaled softly, leaning against the fox while continuing to listen to Yun Sheng's account.
"People may not be born kind, especially after they have encountered evil; that feeling of being unable to stop is like an addiction. Although I feel guilty and afraid when I dream back to Midnight, when the second sun rises, all the guilt and fear are dispelled along with the sunlight. However, by then, we can no longer face the light directly and can only live in dark corners. Hui'er, do you know? Being a villain is much harder than being a good person."
Yun Sheng sighed deeply and turned to look at the ghostly screen in front of him.
"Once there is a first time, there will be a second. My parents have become increasingly at ease with killing for profit. But in such times, no matter how much wealth one gains, it is hard to buy food. With one less mouth to feed, there will be fewer troubles. Moreover, those who know too many secrets pose a threat to them, especially if that person is their son, whom they have always kept in the shadows. Thus, I became their target for murder.
Wild Kudzu, this was the poison they gave me. At first, you don't feel much as it passes through your intestines, but soon the cramping pain comes, leaving you with no energy to think about anything other than death. But Hui'er, do you know? Even at that moment, I was still thinking of you. I worried that they would use the same Method on you."
Yun Sheng reached out and touched Hui Niang's cheek again.
"But I was overthinking; at that time, your Maternal Family was still around, still a support for them. How could they be foolish enough to harm you? But I couldn't think straight; my body was in so much pain that all I could think about was your safety.
I thought they would bury me in that pit of corpses, but for some reason, they took me to that cave on the back mountain instead. Perhaps deep down in their hearts, they still regarded me as their son. I still remember the scenery along the way: the pitch-black night sky dotted with a few scattered stars. I kept praying to them in my heart, asking for mercy from the lord and hoping to live once more.
The cave was very dark and cold; they threw me directly into it from the entrance. You have been there before, right? But you would never understand the feeling when your body rolls onto the ground or what it feels like to wait alone for death in that cave.
I knew I wouldn't survive; I couldn't rely on luck like before. At that moment, all I hoped for was to see you one more time. Although you didn't know there were two Yun Shengs in the family, you must have been aware of what happened at home; the commotion that night was so loud. I longed for you to have a hint of curiosity, hoping you would come to check on me in the cave, wishing you would rescue me like you did that beggar. But where in this world could such miracles happen?"
A similar scene suddenly appeared before Hui Niang's eyes.
Yes, she remembered; on a certain deep night, she indeed saw her In-laws sneaking out with someone from the room. But she was scared—scared of being reprimanded by her In-laws for meddling, scared of being locked back in the woodshed again, scared that her In-laws would force her Husband to divorce her. So she could only hide behind the door panel and remain silent about what happened in the courtyard.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I didn't know... I didn't know that person was you!"
"If... if that night you had seen my face, would you have saved me?"
Yun Sheng's gaze pierced into Hui Niang's heart like a thorn. She repeatedly asked herself in her mind, if she had seen Yun Sheng's face that deep night, would she have rushed out of the room? The answer was uncertain. She knew very well that the in-laws would never harm her son. Even if she had seen Yun Sheng's face, she would have thought they simply looked very similar, and to avoid suspicion, she certainly would not have stepped out of that door.
Clearly, this was a question Yun Sheng had also asked himself repeatedly before facing death, even speculating on this answer. Now, when he asked Hui Niang again, what he sought was merely a bit of psychological comfort. However, the hesitation in Hui Niang's eyes made him fall silent once more, accompanied by a self-deprecating cold laugh.
It turned out that no matter how much love there was, it could solidify into hatred through repeated disappointments. His gaze grew colder as it lingered on Hui Niang's hesitant expression.
"I once thought that death was the most terrifying thing in this world, but when I was close to dying, I realized that despair is even more frightening. In the pitch-black cave, I was all alone, feeling the pain gradually withdrawing from my body, sensing my body becoming colder than the ground of that cave. Just when I thought all love and hatred would vanish and all suffering would drift away, I experienced something even more horrifying. Those white silk threads pierced through my skin one by one, tearing my flesh apart; even my soul was entangled by those silk threads, twisting and turning."
Yun Sheng suddenly hugged himself tightly; it was clear he was still very afraid.
This time, Hui Niang showed no hesitation. She leaned forward, opened her arms, and embraced Yun Sheng.
"Don't be afraid! Hui Niang is here! Hui Niang is with you!"
Yun Sheng gradually calmed down. He gently lifted his head to look closely at Hui Niang. This embrace was something he had imagined countless times, but each time he heard her say the word "Husband," and he knew in his heart that "Husband" referred to another Yun Sheng, not him.
His lips were pressed closely against Hui Niang's ear as he asked her, "Do you know who this person you are holding is?"
"I know, you are Yun Sheng, the one I met after the Apricot Blossom Rain that year; you are the only person who has treated me well over these years. I'm sorry! In the end, Hui Niang has let you down."
"No!" A smile appeared at the corner of Yun Sheng's mouth; the coldness in his eyes seemed to dissipate a little due to this sudden embrace. "Actually, I know in my heart that this matter is not your fault. No one would expect there to be two Yun Shengs in this world."
Yun Sheng gently pushed Hui Niang away.
"You probably guessed some of what happened afterward. I died, but because of those white silk threads, I somehow survived in another form. Honestly, I don't know what I really am now, but I do know that I have become a monster."
"No—"
Hui Niang looked anxiously at Yun Sheng, who could only manage a bitter smile.
"What does it matter if I become a monster? At least I am still alive, and I can still see you. But I no longer want to be that person's shadow, nor do I want to be manipulated by anyone. So, I killed him and returned to that home in his identity. But I know I've become a monster; even though I have his identity, I can't openly be with you. Because of this broken body, I have to find all sorts of excuses to avoid you. I must think of every possible way to survive in this monstrous form. But Hui'er, your parents' deaths really have nothing to do with me!"
"I know, at that time, you were not at the Yun Family Gathering."
Hui Niang closed her eyes, tears streaming down from the corners.
"Hui'er, do you know? I met a Master who told me that if I just hold on for a little longer, once this Lunar Calendar year passes, I can truly come back to life and stay by your side forever. We could even have a child of our own. But no matter how much I thought about it, I never expected that you would discover all of this, that you would find your way here and see me like this. The Master ultimately refused to show me any mercy."
Yun Sheng lowered his head and opened his clothing. The black and white Silk Thread had already fallen onto his neck. He looked up into Hui Niang's eyes and softly said, "Hui'er, goodbye! From now on, Yun Sheng can no longer protect you."
"Yun... Yun Sheng..."
Hui Niang's eyes widened as she watched everything unfold, tears rolling down one by one. She reached out her hand in desperation; she wanted to embrace the man before her who bore the same face as Yun Sheng one last time but feared that her embrace would cause his body to shatter even faster.
In that moment of hesitation from Hui Niang, Yun Sheng's body quickly disintegrated into dust and then faded into smoke within the house. On the cold ground, devoid of any warmth, lay only a skeletal frame riddled with holes. Each tiny hole represented the pain Yun Sheng had once endured.
Hui Niang stared at the bones, first shedding silent tears before collapsing onto them in anguish.
On the Ghost Screen, the black shadow stiffly bent down…
Epilogue:
Before the announcement of the Yun Family Gathering, two people stood side by side. The woman was wrapped tightly in a snow-white cloak, while the man, dressed somewhat lightly, stood tall against the biting cold, unafraid of the chill.
"The disappearance case at Yun Manor has finally come to an end, but is the Hundred-Person Pit really just going to be covered up by the Government Office?"
"What difference does it make if it's not covered up? If this kind of thing spreads, it will only cause panic."
"That's true." Xing Ruyi nodded, leaning against the fox. "What do you think will happen to you, Yun Sheng, and Hui Niang?"
"Probably just living their own lives!"
"Their lives... perhaps it will be another kind of happiness!"
...
In Yun Village, the Tailor Shop reopened, but instead of selling old clothes, it offered garments meticulously crafted by Hui Niang. The fabric may not have been the finest, but the stitching was exquisite.
As Hui Niang sewed, she would occasionally look up at the Jade Wind Screen, shyly smiling at her reflection in the Screen Divider. Behind the Jade Wind Screen, Yun Sheng sat on the floor without any pretense, his warm gaze freely watching Hui Niang thread the needle. If it weren't for those two people, his "remaining life" would likely have been spent quietly within that Ghost Screen, passing time in silence. Now, although he was merely confined within a different Screen Divider, his circumstances were vastly different. At least he could always be with Hui Niang, accompanying her through every moment of light and darkness.
Moreover, that man had cultivated his spirit with mixed jade; perhaps after a hundred or a thousand years, he could enter Reincarnation again and continue the unfinished bond with Hui Niang.
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