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Ruyi Cosmetic Shop
"Are you sure it's Aunt Li and not someone else in disguise?"
"Absolutely! Even with my eyes blinded, I can still smell her scent." Wang San said fiercely, "You don't know, this Aunt Li had bad legs in her lifetime and used a certain herb for years. She rarely cleaned herself, so she had a particularly unpleasant odor. Since we lived nearby, we've been smelling it for years; it's unforgettable. However, after her death, there was an added smell of decay from the corpse. Although it was quite overwhelming, I could still detect that herbal scent; there's no mistake about it."
"You all saw her too?"
Chang Tai's gaze swept over the faces of those present.
"We saw her. It wasn't just us; many people from the village saw her too. At first, these strange occurrences only happened at midnight, but later on, the old lady from the Li Family started appearing not just at night but even during the day. The villagers were on edge, gathering in groups of three or five, and after noon they didn't dare to go out anymore."
"No wonder your village is so quiet; it made me and Uncle Chang think it was a Ghost Village."
Yin Yuan spoke up, yawning.
He was accompanying Chang Tai on this trip at the request of the Deer Lady, who had sent them into the mountains to find a herb. This herb is called Dodder, first recorded in the Shennong Bencao Jing and classified as a superior product. It is sweet and slightly warm, balancing in nature; it can both replenish yang and nourish yin, characterized by being warming without being drying and nourishing without being stagnant.
Consort Ruyi possesses Ghost Technique and has consumed an elixir made from a mix of demon pills and Ghost Dan, which has left her with a cold constitution. The Deer Lady thought to use this Dodder to help her recover so that after marrying Father Fox, she would be able to bear children. Father Fox is the Nine-Tailed Fox Immortal; he likely wouldn't rush matters concerning offspring, but Consort Ruyi is different. Although she has Ghost Technique at her side, she is ultimately still a mortal woman, and having children is probably something she thinks about deeply. The Deer Lady considered this point when she secretly sent him and Chang Tai out under the guise of procurement but actually to gather herbs.
Perhaps hearing Yin Yuan mention "Ghost Village" caused the previously lively atmosphere to suddenly become tense again. Under the candlelight, the Village Chief's expression grew increasingly grim. He looked up at Yin Yuan, sighed softly, and then lowered his head to silently puff on his dry tobacco.
Wang San stood by quietly rubbing his hands together; he occasionally opened his mouth but would close it again whenever his gaze fell on the Village Chief. With the intuition of a Constable, Chang Tai concluded that there must be something else hidden in this village related to the strange occurrences happening here.
Raising his hand to adjust the candle wick, Chang Tai stood up and walked to the window: "It's almost midnight; I wonder if that Aunt Li will come out tonight."
Wang San shivered at once as he heard an urgent voice from outside: "San'er! Are you inside? Your sister-in-law is about to give birth!"
Wang San almost instinctively rushed to the door and pulled it open. A gust of wind swept in through the crack of the door, extinguishing the candles. The silver-white moonlight poured into the room, casting a hazy glow on everyone's faces.
"Mother, why are you out here?"
"Hurry back home, your sister-in-law is likely about to give birth. By the way, find the midwife, quickly go find the midwife. This time is not right, your sister-in-law's health is weak; if things go wrong, it could be serious."
Wang San Niang tightly grasped Wang San's arm, crying as she spoke.
Chang Tai and Yin Yuan saw this and followed the Village Chief over.
"Wang San, hurry and go back with your mother. It's not good for Xiuyun to be alone at home right now. Don't worry, I'll send someone to fetch Mother Wang; it won't delay things."
"Thank you, Village Chief! Thank you, Village Chief!"
Wang San repeatedly expressed his gratitude as he supported his mother away.
The Village Chief turned back to look inside the house and asked, "Who will run a quick errand to call Mother Wang to Wang San's family? This is a big deal when a woman is giving birth; if things go wrong, it could lead to dire consequences."
The villagers inside exchanged glances, even more silent than before. The Village Chief raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a hint of anger.
"Village Chief, it's not that we don't want to go, but even if we did, at this hour, Mother Wang wouldn't dare leave her home, let alone come to help with the delivery," Guangmao said as he peeked outside and then quickly withdrew his head. "You know that Aunt Li is even fiercer than when she first came out. Now all the livestock in the village has been hidden away. Every night we can hear sounds scarier than hungry wolves; I'm worried... I'm worried..."
"Worried about what?"
"I'm worried that if Aunt Li can't get to the livestock, she might attack people instead. As for me, I don't have the courage to go out," Guangmao said as he lowered himself into the crowd.
"I am not afraid, I will go!"
Dog Egg shouted, but as soon as he reached out a hand from the crowd, he was pulled down by Mother Dogdan, who then scolded him.
"I told you not to show off! Look at all the Masters in this room who don't dare to speak up. What are you shouting for, just a child? Stay put! Do you want to give your mother a heart attack?"
"Cough, cough!" The Village Chief lightly cleared his throat, his gaze falling on Mother Dogdan. "Mother Dogdan, don't blame the child. Dog Egg has a good heart and is a good kid in our village. Don't worry, even if you agree to let Dog Egg go, I won't allow it. You two are struggling enough as it is; I have to leave some roots for your family, right?"
"That's true, Village Chief. It's not that I'm heartless and can just watch Sister-in-law Wang's family without doing anything. But you also see that our Dog Egg is still just a child. If he really encounters Aunt Li, he might not even have a chance to run away."
Mother Dogdan said as she held Dog Egg tightly in her arms, refusing to let him move an inch.
Dog Egg struggled a bit but didn't dare to truly defy his mother. Though somewhat unwilling, he eventually quieted down.
"Where is Mother Wang's house?" Chang Tai looked at the crowd and felt a slight chill in his heart. After exchanging glances with Yin Yuan, he said to the Village Chief, "If no one else goes, I will take Yin Yuan with me. However, since we are both strangers here, I'm afraid that Mother Wang won't agree to come with us unless you provide some token."
"Oh no, that won't do! You two are guests in our village. This village's matters shouldn't involve you; how can I let you take such risks? I can still find one or two people willing to go fetch Mother Wang."
The Village Chief said as he scanned the crowd again. This time, even those who had been watching with their necks craned lowered their heads.
Seeing this, the Village Chief felt embarrassed and directly knocked his thigh with his pipe. "If it comes to it, I'll go myself. After all, I am the Village Chief here; I don't believe that Aunt Li and those Evil Spirits would dare come after me."
"I'll go with the Village Chief!"
Chang Tai said as he stepped out of the house first, followed slowly by Yin Yuan.
"Sir, if you are willing to go together, I would be immensely grateful," the Village Chief said with a smile on his face, his previously tense body relaxing. He looked down at Yin Yuan and added, "If not, I can go with you to ask Mother Wang, and let the young master stay here for now. There are many people here, which is safer than outside. Oh, Mother Wang's house is not far from here, just at the foot of the mountain at the village's end. You should have seen it when you arrived; it's that black-and-white house with walls made of stones from this mountain."
"No need!" Chang Tai replied coldly as he glanced at the interior of the house. "Fewer people don't necessarily mean it's unsafe, and a crowded place isn't always safe either. They wouldn't even help their own neighbors from the same village, let alone us outsiders. Yin Yuan should stay close to me."
"Uncle Chang is right; it's safest for Yin Yuan to stay by Uncle Chang's side," Yin Yuan said, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he smiled slyly. "What Village Chief doesn't know is that my uncle is not an ordinary person; he is the renowned first Constable of Divine Capital Luoyang. Whether it's a wicked Aunt Li or true demons, my Uncle Chang wouldn't bat an eye at them. Here, while it seems crowded, everyone is cowardly; if danger truly strikes, who knows who they would throw out as bait? I'm young and an outsider, and I look quite plump; I certainly don't want to be tossed out to feed whatever that thing is."
Yin Yuan then deliberately rubbed his nose, making the Village Chief's expression grow increasingly grim. But what could he do? Children speak without restraint, and while this child was speaking the truth, as the head of the village, he could only force an awkward smile. Turning around with that smile frozen on his face, he tucked his pipe into his waist and walked forward.
Chang Tai looked at Yin Yuan and shook his head helplessly. He felt that this child was becoming more like the old Fox Demon, especially with that sharp tongue that showed no mercy.
The three of them—old and young—made their way to Mother Wang's doorstep in no time. The Village Chief tucked his pipe away and approached the door, gently knocking twice.
"Mother Wang! It's me, the Village Chief! Wang San's family Xiuyun is about to give birth; it's a premature baby that's coming too soon—waiting for your help!"
Standing behind the Village Chief, Yin Yuan looked up and noticed a hint of dark red mixed in with the clouds. His brow furrowed slightly as he tugged at Chang Tai's hand. "Uncle Chang, do you smell blood?"
Chang Tai's expression changed slightly as he walked directly to the door. In response to the Village Chief's surprised gaze, he forcefully pushed open the wooden door.
Under the pale moonlight, Mother Wang sat on the threshold with wide-open eyes.
The interior was pitch black except for the moonlight illuminating her chest. Her clothes were tattered and soaked in blood. As they approached, they could see a large hole in her chest as if someone had violently dug it out.
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