Chapter 92:

Yu Xiangqing had already gotten the full story. Miao Hongxing was also on her side, and the other party had confessed everything, with no need to hide anything anymore. After all, they had returned to the city now, and she was no longer under anyone’s control. For years, her conscience had been troubled, and she wanted that person to face the punishment he deserved.

The victims weren’t just Yu Xianghe—there were others, but they had been too afraid to speak up.

There were more victims.

Yu Xiang’an’s spirits lifted. She didn’t wish for more victims, but if these witnesses were willing to come forward and testify, the case would become much clearer.

Yu Xianghe’s case lacked evidence, and it had been so long that her body had turned to ashes. But these other victims were different.

Yu Xiangqing asked, “Xiao An, how should we tell Dad about this? If he finds out, he’ll be devastated.”

Whenever the family gathered, their father would sometimes look melancholic because someone was missing—his eldest daughter, raised for over a decade, sent to the countryside due to policy, and gone within less than a year.

Third Sister… she didn’t deserve this.

Speaking of Yu Qingshan, Yu Xiang’an sighed deeply.

He would be the most heartbroken, but they couldn’t keep this from him.

After much deliberation, Yu Xiang’an decided to wait until Yu Xiangqing and Yan Peng returned with Miao Hongxing before telling Yu Qingshan together. Otherwise, if he learned about it now and wanted more details, she wouldn’t have the answers, and it would only leave him anxious during the journey.

At dinner that evening, Yu Qingshan noticed Yu Xiang’an’s absentmindedness and asked, “What’s troubling you? You seem preoccupied.”

Yu Xiang’an forced a smile. “There’s something I haven’t figured out yet.”

Yu Qingshan nodded. “Don’t worry. Things will work out in the end.”

The next day, Yu Xianghe, Yan Peng, and Miao Hongxing returned, and Yu Mansheng was also called over in advance.

Yu Qingshan looked at Miao Hongxing’s unfamiliar face. “Are you their friend or relative?”

Miao Hongxing suddenly knelt down. “I’m so sorry… I truly am!”

Yu Qingshan was startled and quickly tried to help her up. “Please, stand up and speak properly. What could you possibly have to apologize for?”

Miao Hongxing, looking at his face, felt overwhelming shame. “I’m Miao Hongxing. I was also a sent-down youth in Yushu Village.”

At the mention of Yushu Village, Yu Qingshan’s expression darkened—that was where his third daughter had been sent.

Yu Mansheng glanced at Yu Xiangqing, Yan Peng, and Yu Xiang’an, who stood silently to the side, and didn’t move to help Miao Hongxing up.

Miao Hongxing refused to rise. Yu Qingshan, mindful of propriety between men and women, couldn’t pull her up, so he let her speak while kneeling. “There’s something I’ve kept hidden all these years. My conscience has tormented me ever since.” Kneeling made her feel slightly better.

But while her conscience eased, Yu Qingshan’s face grew paler by the second as Miao Hongxing recounted the truth behind Yu Xianghe’s death. Before she could finish, he gasped and collapsed.

Yu Xiang’an rushed to support him, and Yu Mansheng hurried over as well.

“Uncle! Uncle!”

Yu Qingshan regained consciousness quickly, his eyes bloodshot. “Is this true?”

Miao Hongxing covered her face and nodded. “It’s true. It’s all true. I’m not the only one who knows. When she was sick, there were marks on her body. All the female sent-down youths who took care of her knew.”

A tear slipped from Yu Qingshan’s eye, which he quickly wiped away. His voice was hoarse. “How many of you knew?”

Miao Hongxing took a deep breath. “Back then, there were five of us female sent-down youths living together. Besides me and Xianghe, there were three others. One married locally, another found a way back to the city, and the last returned when sent-down youths were allowed to go home.”

She wiped her face. “Among us, the prettiest were Xianghe and another girl named Tao Yan. Xianghe caught the eye of Pan Hu, the village party secretary’s son, while Tao Yan was targeted by the secretary himself—a man old enough to have a son older than us, and already married. Tao Yan found a way… to get transferred to the commune’s cultural troupe in exchange for something.”

Her pause made it clear what that “way” had been.

Yu Qingshan’s heart ached unbearably.

Miao Hongxing continued, “The rest of us were plain-looking, not good at farm work, and had no family backing, so we were spared.”

She had once resented her plain looks, but after what happened in the countryside, she was grateful for them.

Yu Mansheng’s throat tightened. He cleared it and asked, “Didn’t any of you think to report this to the police or the sent-down youth office?”

Miao Hongxing laughed bitterly. “How? Without an introduction letter, we couldn’t even leave. The village had only one road out, and the party secretary’s family lived right at the entrance. They were local tyrants, with relatives all over the village. Even at the commune, they had connections—the secretary’s brother-in-law was the town mayor. What could we do?”

A strong dragon couldn’t suppress a local snake, and they weren’t even dragons—just insignificant shrimp.

Yu Qingshan wiped his face. “When I went to collect her body… the doctor I spoke to…”

Miao Hongxing said, “That doctor was also the secretary’s relative. Pan Hu said if she refused to marry him, she wouldn’t get treatment. The medicine he prescribed didn’t work—it wasn’t even the right kind. We begged, but nothing changed. Pan Hu kept pressuring her, saying if she married him, all her problems would disappear. But Xianghe refused. She grew sicker and weaker until one day, she stopped breathing.”

Pan Hu had been shocked—he hadn’t expected her to die. Then the village party secretary, Pan Wang, stepped in.

“By then, Tao Yan no longer lived with us. After Xianghe died, the three of us were transferred out for a ‘commune inspection.’ When we returned, new sent-down youths had moved in, and Xianghe’s ashes had already been taken away… It was too late.”

Yu Mansheng glanced worriedly at his uncle, whose temples pulsed with rage, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.

He had just fainted—would he survive this?

Yu Mansheng had a daughter himself. He couldn’t imagine how he’d react if she suffered such a fate.

Yu Xiang’an, voice choked with tears, pleaded, “Dad, Dad, calm down. We still need to seek justice for Third Sister. You have to stay strong.”

Yu Xiangqing wept openly. “Dad, don’t scare us. If something happens to you, what will we do?”

Slowly, Yu Qingshan unclenched his fists. Yu Mansheng and Yan Peng helped him sit, while Yu Xiang’an handed him a glass of warm sugared water. After drinking it, he regained some composure.

Yu Qingshan knew that if they had wanted to tell him, they could have found a way. But they hadn’t.

Some were still sent-down youths then—crossing the party secretary would have made their lives hell, or worse, led to their own disappearances.

Others had chosen silence, even after returning to the city, leaving the family in the dark for years.

In an instant, Yu Qingshan seemed to age a decade.

Yu Xiang’an helped Miao Hongxing up. “Sister Miao, justice may be slow, but it never fails. Now that we know, we’ll make sure my sister gets the justice she deserves. That monster shouldn’t walk free in the sunlight. But we need evidence. Will you help us?”

Like the names and addresses of the other three sent-down youths.

Miao Hongxing nodded eagerly, guilt weighing heavily on her. “I’ll tell you everything I know!”

Yu Xiangqing asked, “Do you know how the Pan family is doing now?”

Miao Hongxing shook her head quickly. “No. I never looked into anything about that place again.”

It had been a nightmare she desperately wanted to forget.

Tears fell again. “I know my apology means little. The only thing I can do is testify if needed. I’ll do my best.”

Yu Qingshan looked her in the eye. “As her father, I’m furious about what happened. But you weren’t the one who hurt her. Now that you’re willing to speak, I thank you. If Xianghe’s spirit is watching, she’d thank you too.”

Miao Hongxing whispered, “Don’t say that. It’s the least I can do.”

Yu Qingshan was furious, but his rationality was returning. To seek justice for his daughter, he needed her help.

Still, resentment lingered. Yu Xiangqing thought, if they had sent a letter back then, maybe their sister could have been saved. Even if not, a later letter might have preserved evidence. Now, it was too late—everything was gone.

Yu Xiangqing closed her eyes. True, they hadn’t killed her, but their years of silence were chilling. She remembered her sister’s letters, praising their friendship. How ironic.

Yu Qingshan rasped, “Xiao An, don’t tell the elders about this.” Yao Cuifen, Qin Qiang, and Zhang Chahua were old—this news might be too much for them.

Even Yu Qingshan, upon hearing it, had fainted from shock. It was better to keep it quiet.

Yu Qingshan wasn’t the hotheaded young man he once was. If he had known back then, he might have grabbed a knife and hacked the culprit to pieces. But now, he couldn’t. His life didn’t matter, but if he broke the law, it would ruin his descendants’ futures.

So he would seek justice the right way.

Miao Hongxing wrote down the names and addresses of the other three sent-down youths. That she remembered them so clearly showed how much guilt she had carried all these years.

Yu Xiang’an knew Miao Hongxing had no stable job, was married to a divorced man with stepchildren, and struggled financially.

“Would you be willing to help us contact these people? They might not trust strangers. We’ll compensate you for your time—your family needs the money.”

Miao Hongxing hesitated, about to refuse, but Yu Xiang’an cut in, “If you feel guilty, the best way to make amends is to help us gather evidence quickly, so my sister’s spirit can rest.”

After a pause, Miao Hongxing vowed, “I’ll help. I’ve had nightmares for years. Now, I can finally do something for her. I want to sleep peacefully again. You have my word.”

***

They couldn’t hide this from the rest of the family—they needed everyone’s help.

Yu Xiangyan was too far away in Beijing, so they’d call him. Yu Manwu was in Shanghai, but it was summer break, so he could come assist.

Back home, Yu Mansheng, Yu Xianghai, and Yu Manchang were told. Yu Xianghai paced furiously before kicking a stool to splinters—proof of his rage.

He wanted to curse the heavens. All three of his sisters had suffered.

The youngest was betrayed by her fiancé and stepsister. The fourth married poorly and was used as a stepping stone. And the eldest died young, not from illness, but from unspeakable violence, while her tormentor walked free.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

As they vented, Miao Hongxing shrank back, afraid their anger would turn on her.

She knew she shouldn’t have stayed silent for so long. Fear had paralyzed her. But now, she didn’t regret speaking.

If justice could be served, maybe she’d finally find peace.

Immediately, they split up to take action. Yu Manwu, Yu Mansheng, and Yu Xianghai headed to Yushu Village, while Yu Qingshan, Yu Manchang, Yu Xiangqing, Yu Xiang’an, and Miao Hongxing went together to find the other three individuals who were in the know.

The educated youth who had married locally later returned alone to her hometown in Southwest Province. The one who joined the commune’s cultural troupe was from Shanghai, and the one who remained single until the educated youth were allowed to return to the cities was from the Northeast.

These three were scattered in different directions, and the journey was long—but no matter how far, they had to go.

*

Yushu Village had a proper name. It was once called the Progressive Production Brigade but had since reverted to its original name, Yushu Village.

The three of them deliberately brought some goods to sell there. If anyone asked, they would say they were just there to make a little profit by trading.

Yushu Village was easy to find, and they quickly located it. The village Party secretary there was named Pan Wang. He had two sons—Pan Long and Pan Hu. His wife had been bedridden for many years, and he had taken care of her all this time, earning him praise for his decency.

Having a topic like this made it easier to ask a few extra questions while selling goods without raising suspicion.

“Secretary Pan’s elder son married a girl from our village—a real hard worker. She’s the one taking care of her mother-in-law. Everyone says she’s had it tough. His younger son married an educated youth, said to be from a big city—pretty and decent. Many educated youth went back and abandoned their families here, but she stayed. She’s even a teacher at our village school now.”

Yu Mansheng exclaimed, “She didn’t go back? How pretty was she?”

The old woman selling clothes cackled, “When she first came to the countryside, all the young men in our village were stirred up. Who wouldn’t want to marry a well-educated, fair-skinned girl like her? But how could they compete? Without a thick family purse, who could afford to give her an egg every day just to win her favor? Back then, filling your own stomach was hard enough, you know?”

Yu Xianghai’s cheek twitched as he forced a smile. “Yeah, yeah. Times were tough back then.”

The old woman nodded. “Exactly. But that educated youth was beautiful and cultured, and her child takes after her. Still young, but already looks promising—definitely another scholar in the making. As the saying goes, ‘Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the sons of rats dig holes.’ Who knows? Maybe that kid will grow up to be a college student.”

A sour-faced woman nearby snorted. “Dragons or rats—who knows if he played fair? If it had been a real competition, who’s to say how things would’ve turned out? My son almost won over an educated youth back then, but then *he* suddenly stepped in.”

Back then, she hadn’t wanted her son to marry an educated youth. But now, looking back, if the girl had been willing to stay, she would’ve made a good daughter-in-law.

Yu Mansheng’s eyes lit up, and he handed her a small freebie. “That sounds like quite the story. Mind telling me more?”

These old women loved gossip, and now that someone was giving them something in exchange, they were more than happy to spill.

“You’re from out of town, so you wouldn’t know. Secretary Pan’s family is downright domineering. When land was redistributed, they got the best plots—the most fertile, closest to the water. When housing land was allocated, both his sons got prime spots. And before, when educated youth were still coming every year, some of them had well-off families. The Pans would find ways to intercept their letters and packages. Without an introduction letter, you couldn’t leave the village—and they charged a ‘fee’ to issue one. Who knows how much money they made off that.”

“Pan Hu had a thing for educated youth. Back then, he wasn’t pursuing his current wife but another girl. But that one didn’t work out—she got sick and died. If she hadn’t, she’d probably be the one married into that family now.”

Yu Xianghai quickly turned his head, afraid his expression would betray him. Yu Mansheng leaned in closer—this had to be his cousin they were talking about.

“So… was this a second marriage?” he asked deliberately.

“No, no. He was just pursuing her—it never went anywhere.”

Yu Mansheng pressed, “How do you know it didn’t?”

The old woman scoffed. “If they’d gotten married, there’d have been a wedding banquet, wouldn’t there? No banquet means it didn’t happen.”

Another woman, looking serious, recalled, “I remember that girl was quite pretty. To be honest, my son liked her too back then. But Secretary Pan’s younger son was too overbearing—wouldn’t let anyone else near her. Later, I arranged for my son to marry his current wife, and they’ve made a life together.”

The conversation veered toward her son and daughter-in-law, but Yu Mansheng steered it back. “So the younger son’s wife now—she doesn’t mind that he was involved with someone else before?”

The old woman chuckled. “Why would she? Who even knows if they were really involved? And even if they were—she’s gone now.”

……

Yu Mansheng, Yu Xianghai, and Yu Manwu lingered in the village for several days, selling most of their goods while gathering more complete information. They even went to neighboring villages and the commune to inquire. Indeed, this wasn’t some hidden secret—the Party secretary of Yushu Village had connections higher up, and his family lived lavishly. His brother-in-law had once held a now-embarrassing position in the Revolutionary Committee but had since been transferred. Without influence and connections, someone like that would’ve been torn apart during the rehabilitation period.

With a brother-in-law like that, the village Party secretary ruled like a petty emperor.

While they were digging up information in Yushu Village, Yu Qingshan, Yu Xiang’an, and the others successfully tracked down the first person on their list—Fang Shengli, now living in the Southwest.

She had married in Yushu Village but later returned to the city when the policy allowed, leaving her family behind. Now remarried with children, she recognized Miao Hongxing and the resemblance between Yu Xiangqing, Yu Xiang’an, and Yu Xianghe the moment she saw them.

She lived in a crowded compound where everyone could hear everything. With so many people coming to see her, ears were already perked up—there were no secrets here.

Fang Shengli said, “Wait a moment.”

She went inside, warned her children to behave—or else they’d get a taste of bamboo shoots fried with pork (a euphemism for a beating)—and then came back out. “Follow me.”

She led them to an open space with no cover—anyone approaching would be seen from afar.

“This is a better place to talk.”

Miao Hongxing nodded. “Shengli, these are Xianghe’s family—her father and siblings.”

Fang Shengli smiled bitterly. “Why have you come?”

Yu Qingshan bowed deeply. “I’m here to seek justice for my daughter. She didn’t deserve to die in such an unclear way. You were there—if you have any evidence that could help us, we’d be forever grateful.”

Fang Shengli flinched and stepped aside. “Don’t—I…” Her voice dropped. “It’s not that I don’t want to help. I do. But we had no proof. Everything we had back then was searched and confiscated. That village Party secretary… he was ruthless. I once hid something, but he found out. I had no choice but to marry into a family with many men—otherwise, who knows what would’ve happened to me.” Her face twisted with bitterness.