Chapter 34: A Murder Has Occurred

“I’m right here.”

It was New Year’s Eve. The room was lit by lamps, but after hearing Wu Wei’s voice, Embroider Maiden still shifted a little closer to her, as if worried that Wu Wei might not be able to see her clearly.

Wu Wei fell silent again. Embroider Maiden hesitated several times before finally mustering her courage to ask, “Weiwei, have you thought of something sad?”

After a long stretch of silence, Wu Wei let out a soft “Mm.”

Embroider Maiden continued, “Didn’t you tell me before that when you’re feeling sad or upset, it’s okay to cry? If you want to cry, then cry. Or… you can tell me about it. I won’t mention it to anyone.”

Wu Wei let out a sigh, her eyes growing even more vacant as she said, “I used to have a friend. We grew up together from childhood, went to school together. She was always my desk mate and my best friend. She was incredibly smart, excelled at her studies, could play several musical instruments, and even spoke two foreign languages. But no one knew she was sick—gravely ill. My dad… well, he was basically a coroner. One day, my friend suddenly said to me, ‘If I die, make sure you know it was suicide. But my parents won’t believe it. They might even call in a coroner to examine the body.’ She said it like it was a joke at the time. Looking at me, she asked, ‘Can you testify for me? Help preserve my dignity after death?’ I thought she was just kidding around. She was always smiling, so gentle with everyone around her. How could she possibly take her own life? I tried to talk her out of it, but she just smiled and said nothing. About two weeks later… I heard she’d died.”

“Ah!” Embroider Maiden let out a startled cry and hurriedly covered her mouth.

“Her parents’ reaction was exactly as she’d predicted. She left a suicide note, but that only made them more suspicious. They said the inner world described in it didn’t sound like their daughter at all. I did everything I could, telling her last wishes to almost everyone who had any say in the case that I could reach. I nearly got mistaken for a suspect myself. But nothing changed their minds. In the end, I couldn’t preserve the dignity she’d hoped for. She was a girl who loved cleanliness more than anything. Her desk was always perfectly neat, and she’d fold her school uniform jacket neatly before putting it in her bag every time. And my dad… he was one of the coroners on that case.”

Wu Wei had accidentally slipped in too many modern terms. Embroider Maiden puzzled it out for a moment before barely piecing it together. From her perspective, the whole affair was far too complicated to judge—after all, the dead were to be respected. She could sense some resentment in Wu Wei toward her father, but since he was Wu Wei’s father, Embroider Maiden didn’t dare comment on it. All she could see was Wu Wei, alone and suffering in this painful memory.

Embroider Maiden thought of many comforting words but could only murmur softly in the end, “Your old friend… she must have been in a lot of pain, right?”

Wu Wei pointed to her own chest and said, “Her illness wasn’t in her body—it was here. Her heart was sick. Her inner world had collapsed. She couldn’t find a way out, or any reason to keep living.”

Wu Wei didn’t cry. After all, it had happened many years ago. She just murmured, “I think the coroner’s trade is truly filthy.”

…

On the first day of the New Year, some relatives came to visit the Zhang family. Most of them went to the east room to pay respects to the elderly couple, leaving Wu Wei and Embroider Maiden relatively undisturbed in the west room. Only if someone brought female relatives along would they stop by the west room for a chat. Second Lady Liu had long since instructed everyone not to reveal Embroider Maiden’s full background, and besides, Second Lady Liu—who spent her days doing farm work—didn’t really resemble Embroider Maiden. So the women had no idea about Embroider Maiden’s “true situation” and chatted easily about household matters.

Once the guests had finally been seen off and dinner eaten, Second Lady Liu returned to the west room and asked Embroider Maiden, “San Ya, tomorrow’s the second day—when married daughters return to their natal homes. Are you coming back with me?”

The words hung in the air, freezing the room’s atmosphere. Embroider Maiden wasn’t a married daughter who’d gone off to another household; she’d been sent away after the family divided its property. Still, the custom of daughters returning home on the second day was an old tradition, and she felt she ought to go. But thinking of what she might face upon returning made her heart quail.

Especially since she couldn’t bear to leave Wu Wei behind. If they went back, they’d have to go together. She could endure some grievances herself—even if Eldest Sister scolded or hit her in secret. But what if Eldest Sister turned her sharp tongue on Weiwei?

The scales in Embroider Maiden’s heart began to tip. On second thought… Father’s bones weren’t even cold yet, and Mother was still at home. She’d taken some family property when she left. If she didn’t even go back for the New Year, wouldn’t that hurt Mother’s feelings?

As Embroider Maiden wavered, Wu Wei’s voice rang out. “If you want to go back, I’ll go with you.”

Embroider Maiden glanced at Wu Wei, then at Second Lady Liu, only to hear the latter say, “Don’t worry about not having anything to bring. My father-in-law and your second brother-in-law prepared a thank-you gift for Weiwei. Our family’s old house is on the way back to your natal home anyway. We can take some out of that to bring with you, and leave the rest at your place. It’ll be enough to feed you two for half a year.”

Embroider Maiden whispered, “It’s not about the gifts. I’m just… afraid I’ll cause trouble if I go back.”

Second Lady Liu sighed. “Do you think I don’t know your difficulties? They call it a ‘division of property’ to make it sound nice, but anyone with eyes can see they drove you out. You wouldn’t be wrong not to go. But I’m afraid they’ll turn around and call you an ungrateful wolf who snatched the old house and won’t even visit your mother during the New Year. People can say whatever they please—for better or worse, it’s always their words. And if they slap a ‘unfilial’ label on you, what will you do then?”

“Then I’ll go back…” Embroider Maiden said, turning to look at Wu Wei.

The latter gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll go with you.”

…

On the second day of the New Year, before dawn, Second Lady Liu was already up. Zhang Shuisheng brought out the borrowed ox cart and loaded it with the thank-you gifts for Wu Wei and the New Year presents for her natal Liu family.

Old Lady Zhang, her eyes bloodshot and weary, held Wu Wei’s hand, expressing her reluctance to see her go and her deep gratitude. Wu Wei promised to visit again when she could and urged Old Lady Zhang not to do any heavy work for the next few days—to rest and let her eyes recover gradually.

The Zhang family’s New Year gifts for the Liu family were more generous than in previous years, thanks to Second Lady Liu’s pregnancy.

The thank-you gifts for Wu Wei included one shi of polished rice, two shi of coarse grains, one dou of white flour, one dou of cornmeal, one dou of millet flour, two jars of pickled vegetables, several slabs of cured pork, and—remembering how much Wu Wei had seemed to enjoy tofu last time—two boards of tofu that Second Lady Liu had specially made, sliced and frozen into frozen tofu, all packed onto the cart.

That one shi of polished rice represented Zhang Shuisheng’s entire allocation of fine grains for his able-bodied labor from the next autumn harvest. Giving it all to Wu Wei meant he’d be eating only coarse grains from now until then, with no fine grains left for himself.

Even Wu Wei felt the gifts were too generous. She knew the Zhang family wasn’t wealthy, but even the ever-thrifty Old Lady Zhang insisted she accept them. Wu Wei had no choice but to comply.

The four of them set off. All three others insisted Second Lady Liu ride on the cart, so she leaned against the sacks of grain, cradling a basket of eggs in her lap, barely squeezing into a spot.

They left Zhang Family Village and followed the mountain path. Passing Embroider Maiden’s old family home and traveling another hour would bring them to the Liu family. This road usually saw plenty of traffic, but for some reason, it was eerily quiet today.

A heavy snow had fallen the night before, blanketing the ground up to one’s ankles. Fortunately, Zhang Shuisheng often helped at slaughterhouses, so the family had no shortage of furs. Before departing, he’d found sheepskin overboots for Wu Wei and Embroider Maiden—one pair each to wear over their cloth shoes, reaching up to mid-calf. They kept their feet warm and prevented the snow from soaking through their shoes.

They chatted and laughed along the way, and time passed pleasantly enough until… a squad of four constables came marching toward them.

They blocked Wu Wei’s group’s path, gave them a once-over, and asked Zhang Shuisheng, “Where you from? Where you headed?”

Zhang Shuisheng replied, “From Zhang Family Village, bringing New Year gifts to my wife’s parents in Little Locust Village. The woman on the cart is my wife, and that’s her younger sister beside her.”

Two of the constables gave the ox cart a quick inspection and found nothing suspicious. Returning, they grinned and said, “You’re a dutiful son-in-law. Quite the generous New Year haul for your in-laws.”

Zhang Shuisheng explained, “My wife’s expecting—first child. My mother was thrilled.”

“Move along.”

“If I may ask, officers, has something happened?”

“Mind your own business and get going!” one constable snapped curtly. Zhang Shuisheng repeatedly agreed, then pulled the cart onward.

Embroider Maiden had never seen such a scene before. The sabers at the constables’ waists alone left her legs trembling. In the end, Wu Wei had to support her to keep moving.

The four walked on in silence for a good distance before Zhang Shuisheng suddenly said, “Let’s hurry. San Ya, get up on the cart too—squeeze in with your second sister.”

Wu Wei took the bamboo basket of frozen tofu and slung it onto her back, making room for Embroider Maiden. Zhang Shuisheng quickened the ox cart’s pace…

As they neared the old house, Wu Wei had her answer.

Four constables stood guard at the entrance to the Charity Mortuary. Two of them stepped forward once more to block Wu Wei and her companions. Zhang Shuisheng pointed toward an old house a short distance away. The constables followed along skeptically until they watched the Embroider Maiden pull out a key and unlock the door. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief.

One of the constables spoke up. “You folks would do well to stay with relatives for the next few days. If you absolutely have to remain here, keep your doors and windows bolted tight. Stay put inside your home and don’t go wandering about for no reason—especially not anywhere near the Charity Mortuary.”

Zhang Shuisheng replied, “Don’t worry, Officer. We’ll just grab a few things and head over to my father-in-law’s place to stay the night. We won’t cause you any trouble.”

“Mm.” With that, the constables departed. Second Lady Liu’s face had gone deathly pale with fright; Zhang Shuisheng had to half-carry her down from the cart.

A murder had occurred!

The other three now suspected as much, though none of them dared voice the unspoken truth.

Wu Wei alone kept her composure, her expression unchanged. Even Zhang Shuisheng looked distinctly uneasy, while the Embroider Maiden appeared as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight, panic etched across her features.