Chapter 82: The Impermanent Great Ghost, Arriving Unexpectedly; The Wandering Spirit in the Dark, Unknown

On this day, Duan Rong finally walked out of Wild Boar Mountain!

Over these past eight or nine days, he had neither washed nor combed, his face was covered in stubble, his body reeked, and his brown short-jacket was riddled with several holes!

By the time he walked out of Wild Boar Mountain, it was already evening; dusk was gathering, and cooking smoke was rising everywhere!

By the side of the village road, farmers returning home with hoes on their shoulders saw Duan Rong looking like a beggar, reeking of filth, yet with a Sword tied at his waist; those honest, simple farmers were at once repulsed and afraid, all dodging far away...

Duan Rong walked to the home of the old man at the head of the village.

Duan Rong stood outside the fence; the old man's family was eating in the courtyard.

The old man's son and daughter-in-law had also just returned from the fields, and the family of four was sitting around the table!

It was already pitch dark, the light inside the house was very dim, and eating in the courtyard could save some lamp oil money.

Just as they were eating, they suddenly saw a dark shadow standing before the fenced courtyard, with a Sword vaguely visible tied at its waist.

The old man's son immediately jumped up from the table, grabbed the shoulder pole leaning against the wall behind him, and said, "This hero, we are just a poor farming family, there is nothing in the house; why don't you go look elsewhere..."

The old man's son had mistaken Duan Rong for a wandering swordsman who robbed people everywhere.

Duan Rong was stunned and hurriedly explained, "Young brother, do not misunderstand! I am the one who left the horse here!"

The old man stood up from the table, walked to the fence, looked at Duan Rong carefully, and then slapped his thigh and shouted, "It is the guest! How did you end up in such a state?"

Duan Rong gave a chuckle and said, "I played the wild man in the mountains for a few days."

The old man immediately pulled open the fence gate and let Duan Rong in.

The old man's son took bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen and served food for Duan Rong.

Duan Rong had spent several days in the mountains mostly catching fish by the stream to eat; suddenly eating grain, he felt it was fragrant in every mouthful and his appetite was greatly whetted.

Farming folk are sincere; although Duan Rong reeked, he had left his horse here, and it had only eaten some fodder, yet he had given them so much silver, so the whole family was quite grateful to him.

After Duan Rong finished his meal, the old man's son took him to the river ditch at the west end of the village to bathe together and chat about idle matters...

Seeing that it was already dark and traveling at night was not safe, Duan Rong slept at the old man's house.

At night, the old man's daughter-in-law used the oil lamp to mend all the torn places on the short-jacket Duan Rong was wearing.

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Duan Rong led his horse, bid farewell to the family, and left Wild Boar Mountain...

Duan Rong galloped all the way and, around the time of the Horse (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM), entered the east gate of Xiangu County.

After entering the city gate, Duan Rong reined in his horse to a slow walk, went to the carriage firm to return the horse and redeem his deposit, then headed toward the Yuanshun Escort Agency.

Duan Rong walked into the main gate of the Yuanshun Escort Agency with a heart full of worries; he had only walked a short distance when he heard the faint sound of double-reed wind instruments blowing.

The rules in the Yuanshun Escort Agency were strict; who would dare to blow double-reed wind instruments inside the Escort Agency in broad daylight?

Although Duan Rong was puzzled, he had no heart to mind such idle matters; he prepared to return to his dormitory first to change out of this patch-covered short-jacket.

As soon as Duan Rong entered the Middle Courtyard, the sound of the band playing became even louder, and it sounded a bit... like funeral music!

"This mournful sound... isn't it funeral music?"

Duan Rong thought, and suddenly his heart jumped; he walked toward the source of the sound!

After exiting an alley, he saw from afar that the gate of Xiao Zongting's courtyard was actually covered in white mourning banners.

The mournful sound of strings and double-reed wind instruments was coming from inside the courtyard...

Duan Rong felt a pain in his heart and immediately rushed over.

Once inside the courtyard gate, he saw many funeral couplets and wreaths placed against the wall of the front courtyard; several middle-aged women were preparing dishes at the kitchen door, but Zhu Xiaoqi's figure was nowhere to be seen.

From time to time, people came in and out carrying things, everyone walking in a hurry; Duan Rong walked in, but no one paid him any mind.

Duan Rong walked to the door of the Back Courtyard and saw that the temporary mourning hall set up in the courtyard was also hung with white banners!

Inside the mourning hall were three long benches, and on the benches rested a black-lacquered coffin!

An incense table was set up in front of the coffin, candles were lit on both sides, and smoke curled from the incense burner.

To the right of the mourning hall stood two people, both wearing white cloth on their heads and mourning clothes.

One of them was Zhu Xiaoqi; she was dressed in plain clothes, her head lowered, sobbing to herself.

The other was also a woman, half a head taller than Zhu Xiaoqi, with sword-like eyebrows and clear eyes, lips like cinnabar, and a face like white jade; although there were tear stains on her face, her eyes flashed with a firm light, as if no amount of hardship could defeat her...

She was Xiao Baijiao's elder sister, Xiao Yu!

Two days ago, Xiao Baijiao had actually had another seizure.

Although Gu Suxiu rushed over and barely managed to keep her alive, it was clear that she only had a day or two left.

When Xiao Zongting saw his daughter like this, his heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife; after crying bitterly, he immediately called someone to go notify Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu was escorting a shipment to Ruyang Prefecture and was on her return journey when she suddenly heard the bad news; she rushed back immediately, running two horses to death on the way, only arriving back in Xiangu County yesterday afternoon.

However, by then, Xiao Baijiao had already breathed her last an hour earlier.

The sisters had not been able to see each other one last time!

Although Xiao Yu was devastated, she was naturally strong and had a fierce temper; in the Escort Team, she was known by the nickname "Rouge Tiger".

At dusk, Xiao Yu began to prepare for her sister's funeral.

Xiao Zongting had both prestige and the support of the people in the Yuanshun Escort Agency; he should have had everyone at his beck and call.

But as it happened, Ruan Fengshan was away, and the Chief Escort Luan Jingfu was at odds with Xiao Zongting everywhere, so he played dirty and did not summon anyone to help.

Xiao Yu led Zhu Xiaoqi to contact some people herself, set up the mourning hall that night, and then sent people everywhere to post notices to relatives.

She also had some familiar Escort wives come to the house to help cook!

She then took Zhu Xiaoqi to hang white cloth, prepare the coffin, and find a band; by the time the first wave of mourning relatives arrived the next morning, all the rituals were already prepared.

If you ask where Zhu Xiaoqi's swift and decisive style came from, it came from Xiao Yu!

For the Xiaojia to have such a daughter is Xiao Zongting's good fortune!

On the left side of the mourning hall, against the courtyard wall, a row of people playing double-reed wind instruments and strings were all playing with great effort...

On the right side of the mourning hall, mats were spread on the ground, and a group of people in mourning clothes were all kneeling on the mats; the sound of crying rose and fell—these people were all relatives of the Xiaojia, and in terms of seniority, they were all Xiao Baijiao's juniors...

As soon as Duan Rong entered the door, his eyes were fixed on the coffin in the mourning hall; he rushed over, leaned over the edge of the coffin, and looked inside...

Inside the coffin, Xiao Baijiao looked as if she were asleep; her makeup was exquisite, her expression serene, and she wore a beautiful hair bun, adorned with several camellia flowers...

"If mountain flowers are to be worn in my hair, do not ask where I shall return."

Duan Rong recalled that line of poetry again, and his heart suddenly ached, tears rolling down his face.

When Duan Rong rushed over, Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi both felt a figure flash before their eyes, and they turned their heads almost in unison to look at Duan Rong.

The moment Zhu Xiaoqi saw Duan Rong, he pointed at him and cursed: "Where did you go? The Second Young Lady is already dead, and only now do you return! Before she breathed her last, she said many times that she had words for you, words for you! How many times did I look for you! I couldn't even catch a glimpse of you..."

"Where did you go?" Zhu Xiaoqi's words were full of blame, and as he spoke, he began to cry.

Duan Rong, however, acted as if he hadn't heard a thing; he gripped the coffin and suddenly burst into sorrowful wails!

That crying was heart-rending and piercing, for a moment drowning out even the sound of the double-reed wind instrument!

Duan Rong's face was smeared with tears and snot, and from time to time, he let out sounds like a donkey braying, as if he couldn't catch his breath...

Several middle-aged women who had gone into the Inner Room to fetch things passed by the mourning hall, and upon hearing Duan Rong's wailing, they began to whisper to each other as they walked.

"Where did Miss Yu find this professional mourner?... He's crying with such effort..."

"There are too many people these days who take money and don't do the work... there aren't many honest people like this left... look... he's crying so sadly... it makes me want to cry too..."

(End of this chapter)