As night fell, the Xiang family residence.
Perhaps it was because Xiang Changshou's coffin was still in the mourning hall, coupled with the tragic death of Madam Dou in the well, that the entire Xiang family seemed exceptionally desolate. Accompanied by the paper money swept up by the night wind, a sudden sense of unease gripped the heart.
"Big brother, what exactly are you doing?" Qiu Huaixin's mouth twitched. Seeing Zhan Feiyu squatting on the thick, towering tree was astonishing enough, but what was even more surprising was that his gentle and refined elder brother was also standing on a protruding branch beside him.
Qiu Huaixin looked up further. Jiao Lianping, that scoundrel, was also dressed in night-blooming clothes, straddling a thinner branch, his hands clasped around the thick trunk, fearful of falling.
Fortunately, the tree in the front courtyard of the Xiang family was sturdy enough that two or three people with outstretched arms couldn't embrace it. Otherwise, this single tree truly wouldn't be able to support four people standing on it.
Jiao Lianping was a bit afraid of heights, and his voice trembled slightly. However, he couldn't resist a jab, "A dark and windy night, for murder and plunder."
"Observe and wait for the opportune moment," Qiu Bingde glanced at Qiu Huaixin, who had found his footing, and his gaze, through the dense foliage, moved towards the water well not far away.
Qiu Huaixin followed his gaze. However, across a wall was Xiang Changshou's mourning hall, with white lanterns hanging under the eaves. Servants were still keeping vigil for Xiang Changshou at night. Thus, not only could one smell the scent of burning yellow paper and spirit money, but one could also faintly hear the sobs of the vigil-keepers, which made Qiu Huaixin feel a chill.
Furthermore, looking to the side, there was the moon gate leading to the backyard, and then the well where Madam Dou had met her accidental death. As the night wind blew, the leaves rustled. Qiu Huaixin felt a chill down his spine.
Amidst the silence, the sound of footsteps and voices arose. The few people on the tree were high up and far away, and they were not martial artists, so they could only hear the sounds but not understand what was being said.
"Are you crazy? You dare to steal at this hour? Aren't you afraid the master will find out and sell you off?" the young servant whispered, his voice low, and he cautiously glanced around.
The Xiang family was now fragmented, with very few servants left. It was also the middle of the night, so there was no need to worry about being heard or seen.
"Steal my foot! The madam always said the master was kind when she was alive, but in my opinion, the master is the stingiest. Not only did he lock all the valuables in the storeroom, but he even locked the guest rooms, saying it was to prevent the Xiang family members from pilfering. Humph, isn't it just to prevent us servants from stealing too?"
The speaking servant scoffed dismissively, his voice filled with resentment. He glanced in the direction of the mourning hall and quickened his pace. When he reached the well, he continued, "This was missed by the steward before. It's not anything valuable. Besides, the gatekeepers are all the master's confidants. No matter what they take, they won't be able to get it out."
This statement was not false. There was a greedy servant in the front courtyard before who, relying on his thinness, wore several layers of clothes. He tied a white jade screen to his stomach, intending to secretly take it out of the mansion to pawn. However, he was spotted by the guards at a glance, and the item was confiscated.
Because he was born into the family and his deed of sale was held by Master Xiang, after the steward reported it, he directly found a matchmaker to sell the person to the mines. It was estimated that his death was not far off.
"You knew all that and still dared to steal?" his companion frowned. Although the Xiang family had experienced a series of incidents, they, as servants, were not foolish. The Xiang family appeared chaotic but was actually orderly. The steward managed miscellaneous affairs, the two or thirty guards protected the residence, and the master handled external matters. Everything was in order and stable.
The servant opened the large wooden bucket he was carrying. His companion leaned closer and was stunned. Inside the bucket were pieces of white, ice-like substances.
After a moment of surprise, the companion finally remembered, "Is this niter?"
This year was a scorching summer, and the young master's health was declining day by day. The madam, wanting to do good deeds and pray for the young master's blessings from Buddha, had bought a large quantity of niter. After making ice, a basin of ice cubes was placed in every room at night, so that they would remember the young master's benevolence.
The servants lived four to a room. With these ice cubes at night, they could finally sleep soundly. In previous years, the nights were so hot that they tossed and turned, and they had to get up to work before dawn. Even iron bodies couldn't bear it. However, niter was expensive, and they, as servants, couldn't afford it. Every summer and winter, without ice or charcoal, they could only endure.
The servant carried the wooden bucket directly to the well. "In July, I used a bit too much niter to cool down, and the madam found out and punished me with ten planks. Humph, now I'm going to waste this niter. Let's see who can still beat me with planks!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the servant dumped the entire bucket of niter into the well with a splash. This was out of resentment for Madam Xiang's previous punishment and Master Xiang's stinginess. He wanted to waste the Xiang family's property, as he couldn't steal it out and turn it into silver anyway.
Across the courtyard, Qiu Huaixin and Jiao Lianping, standing on the tree, were both bewildered.
"Big brother, what did they dump into the well?" Qiu Huaixin asked, confused. A person had died in this well during the day, and now two servants were secretly dumping something into it. The more Qiu Huaixin looked, the more something felt wrong.
Qiu Bingde ignored him and continued to discuss a policy question in a low voice with Zhan Feiyu, who was standing on the tree trunk.
Qiu Huaixin, helpless, could only look at Jiao Lianping, who was sitting on the tree branch, "Why are you here too?"
Having lost so much face at the Xiang family's residence during the day, it was reasonable to expect that given Jiao Lianping's arrogance, he would at least hide away at the Jiao mansion for three to five days. Who would have thought he would appear at the Xiang family's residence in the middle of the night?
Jiao Lianping had always disliked Zhan Feiyu's friends. When he encountered Qi Changlin, Jiao Lianping would certainly make sarcastic remarks.
Unfortunately, Qiu Huaixin was the young master of the Qiu family, and Lord Qiu was a second-rank official in the imperial court, while Prefect Jiao was only a fourth-rank official. Their status was not comparable, so Jiao Lianping merely snorted at Qiu Huaixin and turned to leave.
"Why should I tell you?" Jiao Lianping arrogantly tilted his chin, seemingly pleased that Qiu Huaixin also had moments of being stumped.
In fact, Jiao Lianping had lost face at the Xiang family's residence in the morning and was reprimanded by Prefect Jiao upon returning to the Jiao mansion. In a fit of anger, Jiao Lianping left the Jiao mansion.
Madam Dou had died at the Xiang family's residence during the day. If Jiao Lianping were to find his scoundrel companions, they would definitely ask him about the day's events at the Xiang family. In the end, Jiao Lianping could only go to the Qiu family's villa to find Zhan Feiyu. Since she was present at the time, she wouldn't press him for details.
Given that Zhan Feiyu was much younger than him, Jiao Lianping decided to stay overnight at the Qiu family's villa. Who knew that he would be woken up by He Sheng in the middle of the night, and then they would proceed to the Xiang family's residence. Not only did he get on the tree, but he also encountered Qiu Bingde and Qiu Huaixin.
A large bucket of niter was dumped into the well, and the two servants turned and left. After a while, they suddenly heard the sound of water, and then saw a figure leap out of the well.
"Ghost!"
Jiao Lianping and Qiu Huaixin, who were arguing, simultaneously let out terrified screams. In their panic, their feet slipped, and they cried out again, falling from the towering tree.
In the darkness, He Sheng leaped out. Before the two could hit the ground, he grabbed Qiu Huaixin and Jiao Lianping by their clothes, one in each hand, then released them. With two thuds, both landed simultaneously. Fortunately, they were only half a person's height from the ground.
"A ghost!" Their shouts changed tone. Jiao Lianping and Qiu Huaixin, terrified, hugged each other, forgetting the pain of falling to the ground.
On the tree, Qiu Bingde and Zhan Feiyu looked speechlessly at the two people trembling on the ground. Although it was a bit scary in the middle of the night, it wasn't to the extent of being this frightened.
He Nuan jumped down from the tree, holding Zhan Feiyu.
As for Qiu Bingde, although he was a scholar, he had practiced with his master in his early years. He wasn't a master, but it was no problem for him to jump down from a branch less than twenty feet high.
"Someone has already gone after them," He Nuan said in a low voice. The murderer who emerged from the well knew they had been exposed upon hearing the shouts. Unfortunately, having been submerged in the well water for nearly seven or eight hours, even with accomplices outside to assist, escape was impossible.
The vigil-keepers in the mourning hall did not hear the sound of water breaking in the well, but they clearly heard the screams of Qiu Huaixin and Jiao Lianping. Several servants rushed out of the mourning hall in a hurry and then looked around.
He Sheng and the Qiu family guards, one in each hand, carried Qiu Huaixin and Jiao Lianping. Several figures left before the servants arrived.