Assigning tasks was based on the direction and distance of addresses. Xie Yu and Ma Bing had taken two households, both relatively distant villages in the western part of the city, but roughly in the same direction, so they wouldn’t have to take unnecessary detours.
By now, night had fallen, and the city gates had just closed. Before the two approached, they were stopped by guards. “Who goes there?”
One guard with sharp eyes recognized Xie Yu and hurriedly stepped forward, saying, “It’s Master Xie! So late in the evening, are you going out on official business?”
But they still showed no sign of letting them pass.
Xie Yu didn’t press the issue, simply producing Tu Yao’s written order. After the guards examined it, they signaled their subordinates to open the gate and then bowed apologetically, “We apologize. Please proceed.”
After leaving the city, the two spurred their horses into a gallop.
The warm summer breeze whistled past their ears, and the brightly lit city of Kaifeng rapidly receded behind them. The further they went, the more desolate the landscape became, yet the stars and moon shone ever brighter, as if the world were veiled in a hazy silver gauze.
They rode nonstop for about half an hour before entering the village and arriving at a house according to the address provided by Gao Laoliu and others.
The people of Dalu loved entertainment, and the weather was hot, so it was likely that most people were still awake at this hour.
The wall wasn’t particularly high. Sitting astride their horses and stretching their necks slightly, they could faintly see the dim light filtering through the paper window inside the courtyard.
But the moment Xie Yu knocked on the door, the light abruptly went out.
“Is this the home of Niu Man’cang?”
No response.
Xie Yu asked again, resignedly saying, “We already saw the light.”
Don’t pretend no one’s home.
This time, there was a response—a shrill, middle-aged woman’s voice: “He’s dead!”
Xie Yu: “….”
Ma Bing: “….”
They exchanged glances, unsure whether to believe it.
Seriously dead?
Did we find him on the first try?
That didn’t make sense either. If the body was found by them, how would they know he was dead?
Ma Bing whispered, “It must be because he’s scared of debt collectors.”
Anyone addicted to gambling usually ends up with countless debts. If the loan sharks can’t find you, they’ll come after your family. So the moment they knocked, the lights went out instantly. The swiftness and skill suggested they had been disturbed countless times before.
Xie Yu had encountered similar situations before when arresting fugitives, but this household only evoked sympathy.
The former was harboring criminals, the latter was fleeing for survival.
With a sigh, Xie Yu knocked again. “We’re from the yamen, here to ask a few questions. We’re not debt collectors.”
However, the woman inside didn’t believe him. “He died ages ago! Rotted and stinking! Go collect your money from his grave!”
After a pause, she added bitterly, “Old lady doesn’t even know where he died. You can go look for yourselves!”
Her voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating she wasn’t entirely fearless.
If you’re from the yamen, then I’m the Emperor himself! Hmph! We saw through your tricks long ago!
Ma Bing couldn’t help but laugh, while Xie Yu looked at her helplessly.
You’re getting the cold shoulder, and you’re this happy?
Ma Bing cleared her throat, forcefully suppressing the corners of her mouth, stepped forward, and said to the woman inside, “Big sister, really, we’re not debt collectors. We’re truly from the yamen. Otherwise, we’d have kicked the door down already!”
This actually worked.
After a brief silence, they heard the creak of the door. A woman hesitantly emerged from the inner room, muttering, “There’s even a woman?”
Nowadays, debt collectors have so many tricks?
But what if they really are from the yamen?
Could that good-for-nothing have gotten into trouble again?
It’s impossible to live like this!
She gripped the door bolt without hastily opening it, still wary. “My family has already been stripped bare to pay off debts. There’s nothing valuable left.”
Ma Bing casually took Xie Yu’s badge and held it up for her to see. “See? We’re really from the yamen.”
Xie Yu looked at her in surprise. You really took it so casually!
The woman peered through the crack in the door. Though she had never seen such a badge before and couldn’t read, it looked imposing enough to match what people described. Finally, she opened the door.
Because of her startled reaction earlier, the two didn’t rush in hastily. They waited until she invited them inside.
Indeed, the house was completely bare.
The courtyard didn’t even have the usual livestock—chickens, ducks, pigs, or dogs. Even the farming tools were scarce. In the corner leaned a dilapidated wheelbarrow covered in moss, likely too broken for anyone to bother salvaging.
Inside the house… looking around, there was only a kang (a traditional Chinese bed-hearth) and a table, with a few wobbly chairs.
Several children and an elderly woman huddled in one corner of the kang, watching the visitors fearfully.
Xie Yu remained silent for a moment before turning and walking outside.
Instinctively, the woman looked at Ma Bing. Ma Bing whispered, “Let’s talk outside. Don’t scare the elderly and children.”
The woman’s lips trembled, and the wariness in her eyes finally began to fade.
Only now did she finally confirm that the visitors were indeed from the yamen.
The courtyard was empty, with nowhere to stand or sit. The woman seemed visibly uneasy. “What… what do you want to ask?”
Xie Yu asked, “Where is Niu Man’cang?”
The woman shook her head. “He’s been hiding from debts outside for a long time. He hasn’t come back in ages.”
“How long approximately? Has anyone ever brought back a message from him?”
“No. He’s been gone for at least half a year… Maybe… maybe he was beaten to death.”
As she said this, her face showed obvious inner turmoil, and she instinctively glanced toward the door.
Clearly, she wasn’t as indifferent to her husband as she had previously pretended.
Ma Bing asked a few questions about the deceased’s physical appearance and shook her head at Xie Yu. “It doesn’t match.”
Niu Man’cang was significantly shorter than the deceased, and his dental condition also didn’t match. They were definitely not the same person.
“We’re sorry to disturb you.” Xie Yu nodded at her. “We’ll take our leave.”
The woman stood frozen in place.
Seriously… are you really leaving?
She took a couple of steps forward, bewildered and unsure of what to say.
“Hey, that…” She opened her mouth, her voice somewhat strained. “Is it… is it because Man’cang did something wrong outside?”
Ma Bing couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you divorce him?”
“Huh?” The woman was taken aback. “What divorce?”
“Divorce,” Ma Bing suddenly grew angry. “Go to the yamen and say you don’t want to live with him anymore. Divorce.”
Xie Yu looked at her and wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent.
A woman who hasn’t even considered divorce at this point is beyond persuasion.
Indeed, upon hearing this, the woman’s eyes widened in shock. “How can we not live together? We’re already married. We must stay together. The children are already this big. We can’t let people say they’re fatherless bastards. And there are also the elders…”
Ma Bing was almost infuriated into laughter. “But does he support you now? And those elders—after divorce, they’re only his elders. What do they have to do with you!”
Even if you shut the door and live on your own, you wouldn’t fall into this situation. At least you wouldn’t live in constant fear of someone coming to smash the door and demand debts.
The woman looked at her as if she had heard some outrageous nonsense. Her expression seemed to say, “How can you say such a heartless thing!”
She had little education and wasn’t articulate. Facing the yamen officials made her feel inferior at first. After struggling for a while, she finally managed to say, “At least… it’s a family.”
Now it was Ma Bing’s turn to widen her eyes.
Looking at the surroundings resembling a refugee camp, she thought to herself, can this even be called a family?
Xie Yu lightly touched Ma Bing’s hand and shook his head slightly.
Ma Bing pressed her lips tightly, her mouth forming a straight line, filled with sorrow for the woman’s misfortune and anger at her passivity.
The woman didn’t understand why she was angry, feeling both shamed and disheartened. She lowered her head, fidgeting with her worn-out clothes, murmuring like a mosquito’s hum. “I’m just a woman, with no ability. How can I live alone…”
Ma Bing wanted to say, aren’t you already alone, supporting this so-called family?
But as the words reached her lips, she suddenly felt a deep sense of futility.
Not every woman is like Zhang Baozhu.
“Let’s go.” Xie Yu said.
Ma Bing pursed her lips, gave one last look at the still bewildered woman, and turned to leave.
As she reached the door, she turned back and saw the woman still standing there, her hair disheveled, her expression lost, like a numb stone statue waiting for her husband.
Ma Bing couldn’t describe the feeling in her heart. She hastily grabbed a handful of copper coins from her money bag and ran to press them into the woman’s hand. “Buy something to eat for the elders and children.”
They were so hungry their cheeks were sunken.
Without waiting to see the woman’s reaction, she quickly mounted her horse and rushed into the endless darkness ahead of Xie Yu.
The woman looked at the copper coins in her hand, stunned, instinctively turning to Xie Yu. “Master?”
Xie Yu looked at her deeply, saying nothing. He mounted his horse and chased after Ma Bing.
Ma Bing slowed down after leaving the village. Soon, Xie Yu caught up from behind.
They rode side by side for a while before Xie Yu asked, “Are you angry?”
Ma Bing shook her head, sighing at the fuzzy moon. “Not exactly anger.”
After a pause, she corrected herself. “Even if I am angry, it’s not at her. She can actually be considered a very remarkable woman.”
An ordinary woman who didn’t understand grand principles, yet after the so-called head of the household fled in panic, she still shouldered the entire mess with her frail shoulders.
From this perspective alone, she was indeed remarkable enough.
Xie Yu looked at her profile, the soft moonlight casting a glow on her face, making her very beautiful.
It was a sharp, unrestrained, almost wild beauty that could scorch people.
“Not everyone is like you, nor is everyone like Zhang Baozhu.” Xie Yu said softly.
Only by seeing the most ordinary people could one better appreciate their lovable and valuable qualities.
Ma Bing turned to look at him, meeting his tender gaze, suddenly feeling uneasy and quickly turning her head away.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Xie Yu seemed to chuckle softly. “You’re really good. I couldn’t help mentioning it.”
This person!
Ma Bing couldn’t tell whether she was flustered or annoyed. She turned to glare at him but saw the overflowing emotions in his eyes and couldn’t look anymore.
This… this man has gone mad!
But Xie Yu suddenly thought that this deserted wilderness was actually quite nice, and the hazy moonlight was also quite pleasant.
The path for commoners was different from the official road, maintained less well. By the roadside, weeds grew wildly, and unknown vines climbed up the trees. When the wind blew, they rustled softly.
Further ahead, there was a vast expanse of wild honeysuckle. The small golden and silver flowers dotted the lush green leaves, exuding a faint fragrance.
“Miss Ma,” seeing her deliberately turning her face away, Xie Yu smiled, “Would you like to pick some?”
Ma Bing indeed turned her head back, hesitated for a moment, and actually picked a little.
She had already smelled the fragrance earlier, but since it grew on Xie Yu’s side, she felt a bit awkward and didn’t move.
Now that he had mentioned it, she might as well…
Xie Yu also leaned over to pick a couple of flowers, but was immediately and unceremoniously rebuked by Ma Bing. “Go play on your own. You’re ruining the herbs.”
Either the stems were too long, or the petals were crushed with fingerprints. How could they be used like this!
The big black horse also bared its teeth at Xie Yu and was lightly patted by Ma Bing. “Shut up!”
Saliva was about to spray out.
The two people and two horses looked at each other, then obediently quieted down.
Ma Bing quickly picked a bagful, satisfied with the result. “These grew really well. When we get back, we can dry them and make tea.”
Seeing her finally show a smile, Xie Yu was also delighted. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw a flash, and something landed on his head.
Ma Bing stared at him for a few moments before suddenly bursting into laughter, immediately turning her horse and running off.
Xie Yu remained frozen in place. He raised his hand to remove the small flower from his head and couldn’t help but smile.
He was about to casually discard it by the roadside when he thought for a moment, carefully wrapping it in a handkerchief and tucking it into his robe.
The two went to the second household. The initial reaction of the residents was the same as the Niu family’s, except this time the gambling husband was at home.
Well then, it couldn’t be the deceased.
Staring at the drunken gambler reeking of alcohol, Xie Yu couldn’t hide his disgust. “You’re already on the yamen’s records now. If you dare to gamble again, we’ll arrest you and send you to the outskirts to break stones!”
The gambler was startled, the alcohol sweat pouring out through his pores. He hurriedly knelt and kowtowed repeatedly.
This time, Ma Bing didn’t look at the woman in the house. Without turning her head, she followed Xie Yu out.
Only after they left the house did Xie Yu say, “It’s useless to talk.”
With gambling, once addicted, unless they die, they rarely change.
His previous words might only deter the man for a few days.
Originally intending to visit only the gambler’s home, they also went to another nearby household where a man had lost his hand in a failed business deal.
They found nothing.
Late at night, the yamen runners dispatched for investigation gradually returned. Most of their experiences mirrored those of Xie Yu and Ma Bing—they were mistaken for debt collectors. Some managed to gain entry after persistent persuasion, while others encountered doors that remained firmly shut no matter what, compelling a few to resort to scaling walls.
Zhuang Peng helplessly said, “It should have been a simple task, but since no one would open the door, it turned into chaos.”
Yuan Pei laughed, “You, a tower-like strongman, standing at someone’s door at night—who wouldn’t be scared?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
After the commotion, they compiled the results of their investigation. Eventually, they filtered out three households that were relatively close matches.
Most family members still held onto the hope that the gamblers would return. When they heard the yamen officers asking questions, they naturally grew excited. What was originally only a thirty percent resemblance, they automatically imagined to be fifty or sixty percent. No matter what the yamen runners said, they insisted, “It looks just like him,” while the runners couldn’t outright state that the person was already dead. For a time, nothing could be definitively determined.
Xie Yu pondered briefly. “Tomorrow, we’ll ask Gao Laoliu and others again. You should also inquire with the neighbors of these households to confirm before making a decision.”
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