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墨書 Inktalez
“Brother Chang, do you think the butler's words can be taken seriously?”
Leaving Yun Manor again, it was already sunset. In winter, the sun sets quickly; in the blink of an eye, the streets darkened, and the shops that were about to close hung up their lanterns. However, the Tavern was bustling with business at this hour.
The Brocade Box containing clothes was held by Chang Tai. The fading light from the lantern in front of the Shop reflected off the Redwood box, giving it a strange luster.
“This matter is indeed quite bizarre. I've heard of stealing corpses, but selling clothes stripped from the dead... it feels odd no matter how you think about it.”
“If someone is desperate for money, they can do anything.” Xing Ruyi looked towards the nearby Tavern. Many of those coming and going were laborers trying to make a living during the Yun Family Gathering, but if one looked closely, they could spot one or two who stood out. They were different not because of their clothing, but due to their expressions and the sneaky aura they carried.
While those who worked hard for a living might be looked down upon, they had strong character and spoke cautiously without being servile. On the other hand, those who acted furtively and spoke loudly with confidence while casting shifty glances likely obtained their money through dubious means.
Xing Ruyi wondered if these people would also stay at Hui Niang's Inn. If they did, would Mother-in-law of Hui Niang approve of their attire? Perhaps she would.
“I’ve heard about selling clothes from dead bodies from the Fox Demon.”
“Oh? Is there really someone in this world who does such business?”
“People die for wealth, birds perish for food. For their own interests, some will indeed engage in such immoral acts. The Fox Demon has heard that in certain coastal areas, large ships transport various types of clothing. There are clothes for men and women, old and young. When these clothes arrive at the docks, people onshore rush to grab them. After a simple sorting and processing, they are packaged and sold to various towns. Most of these garments are second-hand, but some are stripped from corpses; some even have remnants of vomit or blood on them, which is truly disgusting.”
“If there are those who transport goods by ship and those who grab them onshore, then there must be sellers and buyers. But Brother Chang wonders if anyone would actually buy such clothing?”
“If the styles are new and trendy, there will certainly be young women interested. If the quality is poor, people will drive the prices down significantly—sometimes even lower than what it costs to buy fabric. Those who are wealthy don’t lack food or clothing and naturally won’t buy them; however, what about those impoverished families? Especially those laborers we see before us? They count every grain of rice they eat daily and likely wouldn’t want to spend on new clothes. When faced with something that can be worn and is cheaper than buying fabric, how could they not be tempted?”
“In that case, they are exploiting...” Chang Tai clenched his fist silently.
“While it’s not certain, most buyers of these garments are indeed people who aren’t well-off,” Xing Ruyi sighed lightly. “This is just what the Fox Demon heard years ago; as for whether Mother-in-law of Hui Niang is involved in such dealings, we need to investigate further. The butler’s words are merely speculation; we cannot take them at face value. It’s possible that others find Mother-in-law of Hui Niang difficult to deal with and are deliberately trying to undermine her.”
“I’ll go to the Yamen and see if I can find more information there. As for matters concerning Yun Manor, it seems we have hit a dead end; for now, we may not find more concrete evidence linking this case to humans or non-humans. Since we can’t uncover anything further, there’s no need to exhaust ourselves over it; let’s just return home and rest well. You’ve been out long enough; I’m afraid Young Master Yin will worry unnecessarily about you.”
“The Fox Demon thinks so too. Regarding the disappearance of Yun Madam and Red Willow, there’s nothing more to investigate from Yun Manor. Since that’s the case, it might be better to change our approach and start with this piece of clothing in the box to see if it truly has any connection.”
“Once we return home with this clothing, let’s have Young Master Yin take a look at it.” Chang Tai carefully handed the box to Xing Ruyi. “I know you have some knowledge of spells, but ultimately you’re not as proficient as Young Master Yin. If this clothing has any peculiarities, with his cultivation level he should be able to discern them easily. As for you, Fox Demon, don’t act recklessly!”
"Brother Chang, when did you become so talkative?" Xing Ruyi took the box.
Whether there was something suspicious about this clothing could be determined easily if she used the Ghost Technique and opened her Ghost Eye. However, just before leaving, the fox had repeatedly warned her to suppress the things inside her body, advising her not to act recklessly. If anything happened, he would personally intervene and tie her up for a beating.
It was rare for Xing Ruyi to see the fox threatening her so seriously, so she naturally dared not act rashly. During her time at Yun Manor, there were several occasions when she almost couldn't hold back, but just thinking of the fox's serious eyes made her suppress the urge to use the Ghost Technique.
Chang Tai said nothing more, simply patted Xing Ruyi on the shoulder before turning and heading towards the Relay Station.
"Brother Chang!"
"Hmm?"
"The Fox Demon has been hiding something in her heart. You know how the Fox Demon is; once something is bottled up inside, she can't eat well or sleep soundly, and everything feels off. You understand better than anyone that although the Fox Demon can never accept your kindness in this lifetime, she has always regarded you as family. So, Brother Chang, the Fox Demon does not wish to hear a carefully fabricated lie after asking what’s on her mind. You can choose not to answer if she asks."
"Brother Chang knows what you want to ask," Chang Tai's eyes flickered.
"The Fox Demon's thoughts cannot be hidden from you, Brother Chang. So what about the answer? Can you tell the Fox Demon?"
"You know the Fox Demon's abilities, Brother Chang is aware of them too. Brother Chang believes that at Li Yan's death scene, you must have seen something. That's right; Li Yan did not die of illness."
"Then was his death caused by you, Brother Chang..." Xing Ruyi paused but ultimately did not finish her sentence: "Actually, the Fox Demon can guess a bit about Li Yan's thoughts. His illness was severe—really severe—so much so that even the Fox Demon had no absolute confidence in curing him.
Li Yan was a General, someone who fought hard to earn his title. Given his character, he would certainly not want to lie there half-alive. His status did not allow him to do so. His fate could only end in one of two ways: either being used by someone and then killed or being killed outright.
The title of General instills both fear and a desire in others to exploit him for their own purposes.
Li Yan was not foolish; he knew that if he could not return to horseback and back to battle, his existence would be meaningless except for being used. But he was Li Yan; he was unwilling to be exploited and unwilling to become a pawn in the power struggles between the Martial Family and Li Family in court. Perhaps he still lived simply because he couldn't let go of Mu Xi.
But that day, through a slightly open window, he heard my conversation with Mu Xi. Those words allowed him to finally relax because he knew that in this world, only he could truly bind Mu Xi and harm her. So he left—he left in a very sorry state but also with peace of mind."
"Fox Demon—"
Chang Tai opened his mouth several times but could only utter those two words: "Fox Demon."
"Brother Chang, you're just a helper, right? After all, Li Yan is your friend; if he asked you for help, you wouldn't be able to refuse him, would you?" Xing Ruyi looked into Chang Tai's eyes, but after meeting her gaze for a moment, he turned away.
"Yes, he has asked me, because he absolutely hates that version of himself, the one who can only lie there, helpless. He knows that I will definitely help him, just as he knows that once he speaks up, I will absolutely agree to assist him. Fox Demon, Brother Chang does not wish for you to get involved in these court disputes, nor does he want your life to be entangled with the Li Family or the Martial Family. Furthermore, Brother Chang does not want to deceive you; even today, there are some things that Brother Chang cannot yet share with you. But please believe that throughout his life, Brother Chang only wants to protect you. Brother Chang never intended to harm you."
With that, Chang Tai turned and quickly left.
Xing Ruyi stood silently in place until she felt a familiar and reassuring presence behind her. She closed her eyes, took a step back, and then accurately leaned into the fox's embrace.
"What brings you here?"
"My Fox Demon has been missing for most of the day; it looks like it's already dark. How could I not come out to see you?"
"What did you see? What did you notice?"
"I saw that you seemed a bit lost and even somewhat sad."
"Really?" Xing Ruyi turned around and grabbed the front of the fox's clothing: "The Brother Chang I know has never been like this. He is just a Constable in Luoyang City, an upright, righteous, and enthusiastic but somewhat clumsy Constable. But when did he change? When did he become so burdened with thoughts, so..."
Xing Ruyi looked up into the fox's eyes: "Is it because of me? Did Brother Chang change because of me?"
"Fox Demon!" The fox held onto the hand that Xing Ruyi had grasped on his clothing and glanced at the Brocade Box in his hand: "Do not always try to think of yourself as so important. Every person's choices and changes are decisions made by themselves. Chang Tai is like this, and so am I."
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