Back in the room, Zhu Yu leaned against the bed, listening to the pattering of rain outside the window, a vague unease welling up in her heart.
This stormy night... is all too suited for some sinister deeds...
She suddenly realized she was worrying blindly again, quickly pulled herself together, lowered her eyelids, and looked at her hands in front of her.
Soft and clean hands, ten pale fingers, like they were carved from fine mutton fat jade.
The calluses and imprints from her memory no longer existed, only a faint and illusionary pain lingered in the joints.
She wasn't sure if she was the kind of woman content to stay in the inner quarters, but the hardships of traveling and living rough day and night, Zhu Yu had experienced deeply.
She had heard that in Jin Country, women adhered to strict rules. Farmer's and merchant's wives occasionally ventured out for livelihood, but the more noble and distinguished they were, the more it was deemed improper to show themselves in public. They would never do it, only hosting poetry and tea parties in the inner quarters.
Those poetry and tea parties, rather than interactions between women, were more like helping their husband's family in forging bonds and building networks.
Thinking of such things, Zhu Yu couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
Fish was not what she desired, nor was bear's paw.
She wanted to "vegetarian"...
The next morning at dawn, with the clouds gone and the rain cleared, the three had already tidied up before daybreak.
"Can you ride?" Lu Qing asked Zhu Yu.
Zhu Yu nodded. Back in Shuo Country, to accompany her brothers on hunting trips, she had become the only one among her sisters to learn to ride.
Originally just a whim, it turned out to be useful now.
Fu Lu left their horses and the carriage at the post station, instructed the Posthouse Minister to take care of them, and borrowed horses from the station. The three rode towards the ruined temple.
The rain from the night before had been heavy, making the road exceptionally muddy. To prevent the horses from slipping and falling, they moved at a slow pace.
After riding for half an hour, they finally reached the ruined temple, with a large puddle of rainwater at the entrance, though the courtyard was relatively clean.
It was just a bit too quiet.
Lu Qing furrowed his brow, and Fu Lu immediately jumped down from his horse and rushed into the temple.
Zhu Yu dismounted, intending to follow closely, but after taking two steps, Lu Qing pulled her back, saying, "You go last."
Now being someone who cherished her life, Zhu Yu immediately agreed, trailing cautiously behind and carefully entering the ruined temple.
In daylight, the temple seemed much brighter and even more dilapidated. Where they had sat the previous night, Fu Wen was slumped there, seemingly just awakened by a shaken Fu Lu.
However, although he was sitting up now, his mind didn't seem clear. His eyes were empty and unfocused, his eyelids fluttered weakly before closing again, as if his body was awakened, but his soul still wandered outside.
Behind him, through the half-draped curtain, there was no trace of the corpse on the slab behind the altar.
"Brother! Brother!" Fu Lu exclaimed anxiously, never having seen his brother like this, "Wake up! What's happened?!"
Zhu Yu entered just in time to witness this scene, went over, and signaled Fu Lu to help support Fu Wen's head. She then lifted his chin with four fingers and pressed his philtrum hard with her thumb.
Moments later, Fu Wen, whose eyes wouldn't open, trembled and finally opened them, moving his lips as if trying to speak, but couldn't help his eyes rolling back again.
"There aren't any stimulants around, we'll have to find some cold water to jolt him." Zhu Yu pinched his philtrum again, seeing that it had little effect, turned to Lu Qing and said.
Listening to Zhu Yu, Lu Qing glanced outside: "Fu Lu, throw your brother into the water pit outside."
Fu Lu didn't hesitate, hefting the muddled Fu Wen onto his shoulder, he walked out of the temple and dumped him into the large puddle outside with a thud.
Fu Wen was thrown face-first into the puddle, the cold water washed over him, and he choked as it went up his nose. He splashed around a few times, then sat up from the puddle.
By this time, he was soaked from head to toe, the rainwater soaking through his clothes, sending a chill through his body, making him shiver, but bringing him fully awake. However, his limbs were still weak, and he staggered, nearly falling headfirst into the ground as he clambered out of the puddle.
Fu Lu, seeing his brother awake, breathed a sigh of relief and moved to help him up, but Fu Wen feebly shook him off, staggered to Lu Qing, knelt on one knee, and said with a face full of shame, "Sir, Fu Wen was careless and fell for the thief's trick, please punish me!"
Lu Qing, who had been frowning slightly, relaxed a little, reaching out to help the pale Fu Wen up, "Let's talk inside the temple."
Supported by Fu Lu, Fu Wen returned to the ruined temple, fully awake now, looking incredibly frustrated and ashamed.
"Last night, I should have returned to look for you after taking Sir and Madam to the post station! If the two of us had kept watch together, it might not have happened!" Fu Lu, equally angry, couldn't help but blame himself.
"It wouldn't have helped if you returned." Fu Wen shook his head, "Last night, I didn't dare to let my guard down for a moment, staying fully alert. Around the hour of the Ox, I suddenly smelled a fishy scent, then a bit of fragrance, and sensed something was wrong. I was about to get up and take a look, but then..."
Frustrated, he struck his fist against his leg, "Oh! How did I fall for their trick?!"
"Didn't you see any shadows or hear any sounds?" Fu Lu asked, puzzled.
Fu Wen shook his head.
Zhu Yu knew both Fu Wen and Fu Lu were skilled, their hearing and vision much better than ordinary people. If the thief had sneaked in through the temple gate last night, Fu Wen would have noticed immediately. Not to mention stealing a corpse, it would have been impossible to even escape.
If no one had sneaked into the ruined temple, then where did the fishy and fragrant scents come from?
As she pondered this, she moved around to the back of the altar where they hid the previous night.
Lu Qing shared a glance with Fu Lu, who quickly followed her.
Zhu Yu went around to the back of the altar, it didn't look much different from the previous night, dimly lit, with no stone slabs beyond the altar. The space was small, only a black, poorly-maintained wall with no windows.
The wall seemed to be made of rammed earth, not smooth, with some barely noticeable cracks upon close inspection. It was unclear how much longer it could hold.
Near the base of the wall, there seemed to be holes previously dug by mice, refilled with mud, not completely level, the color differing slightly from the rest.
Wait a minute...
Zhu Yu shifted her gaze back to the patched mouse hole at the base of the wall, crouching down, she reached out to scratch at the patched mud.
She didn't have much strength, and only some soil crumbs fell off after a few scratches.