Chapter 277
Chapter 277
As Zhu Peng spoke, his emotions gradually overwhelmed him.
He continued, “After it happened, the four of us went to the town officials. But because it involved the Marquis of Zhenbei, they didn’t dare intervene…”
“I know the marquis holds unrivaled power on the Northern Border. If what happened to Zhu Family Village really involved the Di Slaves, and Marquis Jiang wants to cover it up, then we… may never know the truth as long as we live…”
He could not help weeping aloud. The brothers beside him began wiping their eyes too.
Ren Fengjue was about to offer a few words of comfort when someone behind him said, “Not necessarily.”
Recognizing Xia Ximo’s voice, he immediately turned. At the sight of her, his tightly furrowed brow relaxed, and much of the tension left him.
Zhu Peng had paid close attention at Kaifu Temple earlier. Seeing Xia Ximo share Princess Fenghua’s carriage, he had guessed that her status must be extraordinary.
Without thinking, he knelt and asked in a trembling voice, “Miss… can you help me?”
Xia Ximo glanced at him and asked instead, “Is your wife’s name Xiaoyun?”
Zhu Peng was shaken again, so agitated that he could barely speak. “Miss… how do you know?”
“She told me herself.”
“What?”
Zhu Peng instinctively crawled a couple of paces toward her, only for Ren Fengjue to help him to his feet.
He began crying again. “Xiaoyun isn’t dead?”
Xia Ximo replied, “She is dead. Her ghost told me.”
At first, Zhu Peng looked stunned. But his reaction showed no disbelief. He merely lowered his eyes to the old clothes in his hands, and a line of tears rolled down his face.
“All the way here from Zhu Family Village… I kept feeling as though something was following me…”
“When I dozed at night, I often dreamed of Xiaoyun too. I wondered whether it might be her ghost…”
“But in more than thirty years of life, I’ve never seen a ghost. I don’t even know… whether people become ghosts after death.”
Xia Ximo explained, “Everyone has their own allotted fate, and everyone becomes a soul after death. But not every soul lingers in the human world.”
Zhu Peng listened numbly, only half understanding. “So Xiaoyun stayed in the human world?”
“Yes. She has an unresolved attachment that has turned into resentment. She cannot enter the Underworld Administration or pass into rebirth.”
“An attachment?”
Zhu Peng suddenly remembered that before he left home, his wife had said she would make him new clothes.
She had looked at him with a gentle smile. “The New Year is only half a month away. You’ve worn those clothes for three years and still can’t bear to replace them, while I have new ones every year. That’s not fair at all…”
“Since you’re going into town, remember to have a look. If the cloth shop has suitable fabric, bring some back.”
As she spoke, Xiaoyun tucked some copper coins into his clothes.
Remembering it all, Zhu Peng hardly knew what to feel. “She’s… waiting for me to come home so she can make me clothes for the New Year?”
“Yes,” Xia Ximo said.
“…”
Zhu Peng could no longer contain himself and burst into wrenching sobs.
This time, Ren Fengjue did not try to console him. Instead, he asked Xia Ximo, “Did Xiaoyun’s soul say what exactly happened in Zhu Family Village that night?”
Xia Ximo shook her head. “She no longer remembers.”
Apart from remembering that she had to make clothes for her husband, she had forgotten everything, even how she died.
At that, Ren Fengjue knew the case of Zhu Family Village would not be easy to solve.
At the very least, he would have to go there in person.
After weeping for a while, Zhu Peng suddenly knelt before Xia Ximo again. “Miss… no, Master, is there any way you can let me see Xiaoyun? Just once would be enough…”
The title “Master” made Xia Ximo frown slightly.
“What about her looks like a master to you?”
For some reason, Yan Zhengchu had appeared in the rear courtyard as well, just in time to hear Zhu Peng’s words.
He added, “For that, you need me.”
Xia Ximo said nothing.
For a moment, Zhu Peng did not dare answer either.
Yan Zhengchu was displeased. “What? You don’t trust me?”
“No, no…” Zhu Peng said cautiously. “It’s just that this young lady hasn’t said anything.”
Yan Zhengchu replied, “She’s never been much of a talker. Spend more time with her and you’ll see.”
“…”
Ren Fengjue cleared his throat softly and explained to Zhu Peng, “This is a Daoist Master from Mount Yunhe who specializes in exorcising evil and catching ghosts. He can indeed help you with matters involving souls.”
Yan Zhengchu was feeling very pleased.
Then the Young Marquis continued, “As for Miss Xia, she can help your wife reach the Netherworld and be reborn.”
Compared that way, Daoist Yan suddenly felt as though he had been outshone…
Not daring to offend either of them, Zhu Peng could only appeal to both. “Please, both of you, help me!”
At that moment, Xia Ximo spoke. “This Daoist and I can help with matters of the dead. But for what happened in Zhu Family Village, you need him.”
“Then please, all three of you, help me! Help us!”
Now knowing that none of these three was ordinary, Zhu Peng finally saw a glimmer of hope.
He immediately called the brothers over to bow with him, but Ren Fengjue stopped them again.
Xia Ximo handed the soul she had collected in the Soul-Ferrying Lantern to Yan Zhengchu, leaving him to perform the spell that would let husband and wife meet.
Because Xiaoyun’s soul was so weak, an ordinary Transformation Talisman was unsuitable. Nor could she have direct contact with the living.
Yan Zhengchu could only lay down a Spirit-Protection Array so that Zhu Peng could meet his wife within it.
“Remember, once you enter this array, your yang qi will be weakened. Do not put down this candle, or you may lose yourself in the array and fail to find your way back.”
“And you have only the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Say what you need to say as quickly as you can.”
After handing Zhu Peng a candle tied with red thread, Daoist Yan took up a talisman and began casting his spell.
Zhu Peng gripped the candle tightly, both nervous and hopeful.
Suddenly, mist rose before him and obscured all the surroundings.
Yan Zhengchu prompted him, “You may walk forward now.”
Zhu Peng did as instructed. Before long, he truly saw Xiaoyun’s figure.
“Xiaoyun!”
Overcome with excitement, he hurried forward to embrace her, only to discover that he could not touch her at all.
Yan Zhengchu’s voice sounded beside his ear again. “The living and the dead are different. She is only a soul now.”
Grief filled Zhu Peng. He could only look at his wife and say, “Xiaoyun, it’s me, Peng. Do you still remember me?”
At his words, a glimmer flashed through her formerly vacant eyes, like the sheen of tears.
Clearly, she still remembered her husband.
“Peng, you’re wearing new clothes?”
Speaking faintly, she came to his side and looked them over. “These stitches are far too rough. Take it off quickly. I’ll alter it for you.”